2nd Dickey’s Barbecue Pit to reopen in Tri-Cities

Dickey’s Barbecue Pit in Kennewick is reopening two years after it abruptly shut down along with two other Tri-Cities locations.

The manager of the Richland Dickey’s restaurant that reopened last year will be firing up the smokers at the Highway 395 spot by Mid-May.

“I always want to have something of my own,” said Craig Cook, who also was the general manager of all three Tri-Cities locations before they closed in 2019.

The Texas-based barbecue chain that is celebrating its 80th anniversary this year has nearly a dozen types of smoked meats, such as brisket, ribs, turkey and sausage.

Side dishes include items like jalapeño beans, asiago cheese creamed spinach, fried okra and typical options like bakes beans, coleslaw, fries and chips.

“It is an easy concept and is an easy restaurant to run and operate,” Cook said. “They have good barbecue, good prices and good selection on the menu.”

The first Dickey’s in Tri-Cities opened on Highway 395 near Safeway in 2014 by then-owner Dan Pelfrey. He quickly expanded with two more locations, but closed five years later after he ran into issues with unpaid taxes.

The Washington Department of Revenue received a $50,000 judgment against Pelfrey’s company, Lonestar Innovations before it closed.

“I was really upset when the stores did shut,” Cook said. “I felt bad for the employees and really wanted to get (the stores) back up and running.”

That proved unattainable at the time and he opened a short-lived food truck that served Hanford workers. Cook closed it when COVID hit and he lost his customer base.

Kenny Teasdale, a commercial real estate agent with NAI Tri-Cities and owners of Smooth Moves moving company, stepped in and reopened the Richland store at Queensgate about a year ago and rehired Cook.

Teasdale told the Herald at the time that Cook knew the Dickey’s brand like no one else in the Tri-Cities.

Cook rehired rehired as many former employees as he could and now is giving new life back to the Kennewick store. The Pasco location on Road 68 is now home to the restaurant Proof.

The lifelong Tri-Citian said he is hiring about 15 to 20 employees for Kennewick, also is considering buying the Richland location. He hopes to continue to build more outlets and possibly expand to Walla Walla.

Cook said that while the liquor license may not be in place by opening, he will be working with local brewers to have bottled and canned beer as well.

This story was originally published April 9, 2021 at 1:00 PM.