Owners of longtime Richland nightspot evicted

Tables, chairs and other furniture and equipment were propped up outside Ray’s Golden Lion on Thursday afternoon.

A pickup truck parked in front was piled with items that appeared to come from the longtime Chinese restaurant by day and punk rock/metal club on the weekends.

After operating for several decades in Richland’s Uptown Shopping Center, owners Ray and Shirley Chin have been evicted.

The Chins were issued a 30-day notice Aug. 29 to end their lease. When they failed to leave, building owners James and Luisita Go went to court to terminate the lease and have the Benton County Sheriff’s Office remove the Chins.

Superior Court Judge Vic VanderSchoor signed the eviction order earlier this month, and the Chins failed to respond by Oct. 15, according to court documents.

The Gos also asked to be repaid outstanding rent or other expenses, as well as legal costs. No amount is listed.

The Chins signed a 10-year lease in 1993, agreeing to pay $2,800 to $3,200 a month rent, according to documents. It’s unclear what arrangements the Chins made for the club after that lease expired in 2003.

Attempts to reach the couple have been unsuccessful.

A woman who answered the phone for the Gos said neither were available to come to the phone. She acknowledged that the Chins were out of the building but said she was not aware of a new tenant at this time.

In 1956, Ray Chin came to the Tri-Cities expecting to work as a cook for 30 days at the Chinese restaurant now known as Lee's Tahitian Restaurant and Lounge. He was visiting from Seattle, where he’d moved from Hong Kong years before, according to Herald archives.

In 1963 he started his own restaurant in the Uptown.

He told the Herald 10 years ago when he was 71 that he and his wife never thought they’d be running a music club.

Over the years, they booked big names at their modest bar, including artists like Frank Sinatra Jr., Ike and Tina Turner, Meatloaf and Tiny Tim.

It was in the early 2000s that Chin began hiring punk, rock and rap shows.

By day, Chin was the restaurant’s chef and every Friday and Saturday night he helped his son Stan, who managed the bar.

Last Sunday, a post on a Facebook page for the club thanked people who attended, performed and worked at Ray’s over the years.

This story was originally published October 29, 2015 at 7:43 PM with the headline "Owners of longtime Richland nightspot evicted."