Old Country Buffet closes in Kennewick but new restaurant debuts in Pasco
One Tri-City restaurant is opening its second location this week while another is closing a popular Kennewick outlet.
The Chicken Shack opens its much-anticipated Pasco location at 10 a.m. Wednesday at 8921 Sandifur Parkway.
Owners Tracy and Steve LaMarr opened the first local edition of The Chicken Shack at 4390 W. Van Giesen St. in West Richland and announced plans to expand to Pasco last year.
The Chicken Shack is the local version of a popular, family-friendly Henderson, Nev., chain that specializes in fresh chicken and a wide variety of dipping sauces and side dishes.
The LaMarrs, who own StoneCrest Builders Inc., adapted the concept to cater to a Northwest fan base by adding lighter fare and diet-friendly dining options.
Over in Kennewick, one of two Old Country Buffet locations has closed without warning.
Food Management Partners Inc., based in Hollywood Park, Texas, closed the Columbia Center mall location.
It’s Old Country Buffet at 6821 W. Canal Dr. will remain open.
The Columbia Center building itself is part of the mall complex, which is owned by Simon Property group.
Mall management has not disclosed what will happen to the former restaurant space. In a written statement, it said Columbia Center is “well positioned moving forward.”
It noted that Dick’s Sporting Goods will occupy a store space being built at the site of its now-closed Regal Cinemas.
Kitchen equipment and other gear from the buffet restaurant will go on the online auction block at noon Thursday at AuctionNation.com.
Auction items from the buffet restaurant are available for preview online.
The Dugout moves into Gaslight spot
The Dugout, a sports bar, has taken over one of of the more prominent restaurant spots in central Richland.
Dugout announced it is taking over the Gaslight Bar & Grill spot at 99 Lee Blvd., at the entrance to Howard Amon Park, on social media on Jan. 7. It is re-branding the spot and making other changes.
It is the second location for The Dugout. The original is at 7111 Burden Blvd. in Pasco.
Gaslight opened in 2015 in the spot that was previously Jack-sons Sports Bar.
Winemakers Loft Food Truck Rally
Tickets are available now for the April 20 fundraiser to support Heartlinks Hospice & Pallative Care, a rural hospice based in Sunnyside.
Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door.
The rally is from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Winemarkers Loft winery and tasting room collective, 357 Port Ave., Prosser.
Custom Bottling & Filtering, a mobile bottling business in Benton City, is the title sponsor.
Purchase tickets at heartlinkshospice.ejoinme.org/foodtruckrally.
This story was originally published January 15, 2019 at 12:36 PM.