Chuck E. Cheese and iPlay indoor playground are back open. Plus a new sandwich shop
A few Tri-Cities favorite family entertainment centers are re-opening their doors after long closures because of the COVID-19 pandemic — and there’s a new sandwich shop in town.
▪ Chuck E. Cheese is now open in Kennewick for inside dining — although its games will remain off limits.
The entertainment center known for the mouse mascot, arcade games and children’s birthday parties had stayed closed since the March shutdown at the onset of the pandemic.
Earlier this year, owner John Corbin wrote a letter to Gov. Jay Inslee about the grave concerns his family faced over the possible loss of their $4 million investment in their new location at 6340 W. Rio Grande in Kennewick. He argued unsuccessfully so far that they can keep the game playing safe with proper cleaning.
The current restaurant opened in 2018 after decades of being in Richland off Columbia Center Boulevard.
Health officials told the Herald at the time that because Chuck E. Cheese also operates under a restaurant license they could open the restaurant portion under the same guidelines issued for other food and beverage establishments in Benton and Franklin counties.
Dine-in, carry-out or delivery through Uber Eats will be available daily from 11 a.m to 8 p.m. Phone: 509-735-8346. Online: Chuck E. Cheese - Kennewick Facebook page. Menu: chuckecheese.alohaorderonline.com.
▪ iPlay Experience indoor family playground at 8524 W. Gage Blvd. in Kennewick reopened Friday with a limited capacity.
The center has a multi-level playground, ball pit, interactive sand area and more.
Tickets are $15.20 for those under 36 inches and $17.96 for children over 36 inches Monday through Thursday. Fridays through Sundays tickets go up to $21.18 and $25.80.
Tickets are sold in two-hour time slots and capacity is limited to 30 tickets per time slot.
To buy tickets go to iplayexperience.us. For more information, call 509-579-5971.
▪ The newest Firehouse Subs Tri-Cities location opened Friday at 2607 Kingsgate Way in Richland by Horn Rapids.
The other restaurants are in Burbank, Kennewick near Badger Canyon and in Pasco, off Road 100.
The fourth Tri-Cities location of the national sandwich shop chain is part of a larger $1.5 million project that includes a Sun Market gas station and convenience store.
Sun Pacific Energy, the developer of Sun Market brand, has the franchising rights to the Firehouse Subs in Tri-Cities, as well as in Yakima and Walla Walla.
The Horn Rapids location will offer third-party delivery and in-house catering services. It also will have a pick-up window, where guests can pick up orders made online, in the app or over the phone
Hours are 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.
If you know of a retailer, restaurant, coffee shop or other business that is opening, closing, expanding, remodeling or changing its focus, send an email to reporter Allison Stormo at astormo@tricityherald.com.
This story was originally published November 13, 2020 at 12:53 PM.