This Tri-Cities sports bar where they always knew your name is getting a big change

The owners of a Tri-Cities sports bar have made the difficult decision to sell it.

Now a pair of enthusiastic new owners will take over Espo’s Sports Bar and Grill, located at 107 Vista Way in Kennewick, after the first of the new year and give it a new name.

For new owners Laurie Winchel and Emilie Sahm, the chance to own their own business is a dream come true.

But 12 years in the bar business was enough for current owners John, Debbie and Shawn Espinosa.

“It’s time to retire,” said Debbie Espinosa.

The Espinosas have enjoyed owning the bar, welcoming in customers who mean a lot to the family.

“My goal was to make sure I knew everybody’s name,” said Debbie. “Then they just become our friends.”

The bar is big into darts, and has at times sponsored as many as 17 teams around the Tri-Cities.

But the daily grind of running a business that’s open almost every day of the year was starting to get to the Espinosas.

And while they didn’t publicly advertise it, they had been looking quietly to sell for the last few years.

“It was a hard decision,” said Debbie Espinosa. “If anyone came in and wanted to look, we’d show them around.”

But nothing would happen until Winchel walked into Espo’s in October.

Winchel worked for Sysco Foods when Espo’s opened 12 years ago, and she delivered the food to the Espinosas.

New bar owners may be hiring

She eventually moved on, managing other bars and restaurants around the Tri-Cities.

She has been managing The Edge Steakhouse and Sports Lounge in Kennewick, and is part of the Zintel Creek Golf Club ownership group.

When Winchel walked into Espo’s in October, she asked John Espinosa if he was interested in selling.

Almost before she could finish her question, John Espinosa said, “Yes, and here is the price,” though he didn’t disclose it to the Herald.

Winchel and Sahm moved quickly.

“Everything just aligned,” Winchel said. “I’ve wanted to do something like this for 20 years.”

Winchel worked with Sahm on and off for the last 11 years and they always talked about owning their own place.

Sahm will run the day shift, while Winchel will keep the books in the back office.

Winchel will step down as the manager at The Edge, although she maintains her ownership at Zintel Creek.

The two are thinking they’ll need five or six employees at Espo’s, some of them part-time.

Now there are four employees, including two there since the place opened.

The Espinosas are having an End of An Era Party with a DJ starting at 9 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14.

Sports bar could reopen Feb. 1

The Espinosas will keep the bar open through the end of the month, except for Christmas Day.

But on New Year’s Day, Winchel and Sahm become the owners.

They will close it for a month to give the interior a fresh coat of paint, install some new computer systems, rearrange some things and give it a new name.

“We hope to open around Feb. 1,” said Winchel.

“But we still want to keep it as your local neighborhood bar,” she said. “We’ll add some new TVs. Keep it a super-fun atmosphere. It already has great food: pizza, burgers, apps. That pizza oven is staying here.”

Both parties — buyer and seller — have a love for the business. And in separate interviews, they each use the same word for customers: Family.

“I love the service part of the business,” said Shawn Espinosa, John and Debbie’s son. He also is the operations manager for Larson Transfer.

“You know what your customers drink and have it ready for them when they sit down,” he said. “They’ve become family as well. We’ve done a lot of fundraisers for some of our customers (who’ve needed help).”

The regular customers watch out for the family’s interests, John Espinosa said. If someone comes in and gets too rowdy, the regulars will tell them to settle down or leave.

Sale bittersweet for Espinosas

“We love the industry,” Winchel said. “People sit at work all day, and think, ‘Man, when I get off, I want to go to a bar.’ In a bar, you’re either celebrating something, or you’re trying to forget the crap going on in your life.”

“Where else can you talk about your favorite sports team all day?” she said. “So your customer almost becomes your family. I’ve had customers over to my house for Christmas Eve.”

Sahm agreed. “If you don’t like people, then this industry is not for you.”

And that’s the bittersweet part for the Espinosas.

“I’ll guess I’ll miss the people,” John Espinosa said. “Our main clientele, this is their place.”

Debbie agrees.

“I just love it when you walk through the doors and see people enjoying themselves,” she said. “That they can relax and be comfortable — I just love it. I’ll miss it.”