Tri-Cities’ first Chick-fil-A is about to take shape near Columbia Center mall
It’s finally happening for Chick-fil-A fans.
The city of Kennewick issued a building permit for the Tri-Cities first Chick-fil-A on Thursday after the Atlanta, Georgia-based fast-food giant paid more than $95,000 in various permit fees.
The permit sets the stage for contractors to dig into the site, 7009 W. Canal Drive, immediately west of the Wendy’s restaurant, near Hobby Lobby and Wok King Buffet.
The $1.1 million project includes a 5,000-square-foot building with kitchen, inside seating for 70, patio seating for 24, 96 parking stalls and a two-lane drive-thru.
It will be perpendicular to West Canal Drive and will be separated from Wendy’s by a parking lot. A new driveway will be added to the west of Chick-fil-A from Canal, though earlier versions indicated there wouldn’t be direct access.
It will be fully landscaped.
Long wait since February
The popular chicken chain first disclosed plans to open its first local restaurant on paperwork filed with the state in February. It later made it official, saying the Tri-Cities offered a “tremendous opportunity.” It applied for the building permit after it cleared the environmental review process.
Tri-City Herald readers have long said Chick-fil-A is one of the top businesses missing from the Tri-Cities. It was third behind Trader Joe’s and a second Costco in a 2023 poll.
The closest free-standing Chick-fil-A is in North Spokane. The University of Idaho boasts a licensed restaurant. Others are clustered in the Seattle and Portland metros.
The restaurant is being built on property owned by an arm of Winkler Family Holdings, a Portland real estate firm. ESI Construction is the contractor.
The Chick-fil-A site is about a block east of the former Old Country Buffet restaurant, which is being renovated to accommodate the Tri-Cities’ second Panera Bread location.
This story was originally published November 7, 2024 at 5:00 PM.