2 specialty food trucks debut in Kennewick + Organic produce co-op and other openings
Loosen those belts, Tri-City eaters.
Two new food trucks have opened at the international pod at Bella’s Furniture in Kennewick.
Plus, the Tri-Cities Food Co-Op officially signed a lease for store space in Richland for its campaign to bring locally-sourced organic produce to local consumers.
So much for dining. Now for dashing.
Fleet Feet, Richland’s new athletic footwear store, holds its official grand opening this week with food, drink and discounts on running shoes and other garb.
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Papa Q Pizzeria
Crystal and Steven Questad began serving westside-style pizza from their new truck, Papa Q Pizzeria, in late February.
Papa Q Pizzeria is stationed outside Bella’s Furniture, 7425 W. Clearwater Ave., Wednesday to Sunday and is open 11:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m., and noon-6 p.m. on Sunday.
The truck specializes in crispy crust pizza with lots of toppings. Crystal Questad said they particularly love cupping pepperoni and serve a unique Hawaiian-style pizza with shaved ham that’s piled high.
The couple, married for more than 25 years, have 10 children and a longstanding love of making pizza as a family activity on Sunday nights.
When the pandemic struck, Steven Questad’s work in construction fell off and the couple focused on recreating the style of pizza they enjoyed when they lived in the Portland/Vancouver area.
It was a hit with family and friends, who urged them to start a truck. They field tested their recipes with 200 prospective customers and got a five-star review.
Encouraged, they turned to Western Restaurant Supply to outfit a new truck. Mustang Signs created the wrap, based on a logo designed by the couple’s nephew.
They faced a setback in April, when thieves stole the truck’s power cord, cutting off its well-stocked refrigerator and freezer. Everything had to be thrown out and the truck briefly closed.
Still, Crystal considered herself blessed the thieves didn’t vandalize the truck and it was able to reopen.
Follow Papa Q at facebook.com/papaqpizzeria and and instagram.com/papaqpizzeria/
Hibachi Explosion
The new food truck is now open outside Bella’s, 7425 W. Clearwater Ave., in Kennewick. Business hours are generally 11 a.m.-8 p.m.
The menu features appetizers such as gyoza and tempura veggies, a variety of fried rice dishes and hibachi plates that come with mixed vegetables and hibachi chicken fried rice.
Choose from the vegetable, chicken, New York steak and shrimp offerings. Chicken nuggets and fries are on offer for the kids, along with sodas and sides.
Hibachi Explosion is operated by Gabby Cerdio of Kennewick.
Follow Hibachi Explosion on Facebook or instagram.com/hibachiexplosion509/ for hour and menu information.
Tri-Cities Food Co-Op
Tri-Cities Food Co-Op, a nonprofit food co-op, has inked a lease for retail space in Richland and hopes to begin selling local, organic and fresh produce as early as this summer.
The co-op is spearheaded by Alan Schreiber, an organic farmer from Eltopia known locally as the voice of the Washington Asparagus Commission.
Schreiber confirmed the nonprofit inked the deal on April 6. It hopes to open Aug. 1, but hasn’t announced plans pending approval of various permits to update the building and operate the business.
The latest attempt to open a co-op will be housed at 1420 Jadwin Avenue, north of the Uptown Shopping Center. The building, constructed in 1965, was built as a grocery and converted to other uses over the years. Schreiber said the plan is to peel back the updates and restore it to its original purpose.
Tri-Cities Food Co-Op will sell locally-produced food and serve as an event and culture center, with live music and events that build connections between customers and area farmers.
“Our shtick is local first, organic when possible, always sustainable,” he said.
The membership-based co-op has signed up about 100 members and aims to have 1,000 by the time it officially opens. The one-time membership fee is $50 for students and seniors, and $100 for others. Supporters can sign on as founding members for a price.
The store will be open to the public, but members will receive discounts.
Co-op will source as much produce from the Mid-Columbia as possible. Schreiber is eager to provide an outlet for the organic produce grown on local farms but not carried in local groceries.
“I have 120 acres of organic produce and you can’t buy one bit of my organic produce store in the Tri-Cities,” he said. “There’s so much that we could be doing.”
The Tri-Cities, he added, is a food co-op desert.
“The Tri-Cities is by far the biggest community that does not have a co-op in the Northwest. Twisp and Tonasket have co-ops,” he said.
Go to tcfcoop.org or follow it at facebook.com/TCFCoop/
Fleet Feet grand opening
Fleet Feet, an athletic footwear store that uses technology to fit customers, holds its official grand opening at 5 p.m., Friday, April 14, at 620 George Washington Way in Richland’s Park Place. Food and beverages will be served..
The opening celebration continues with a group run at 8 a.m. on Saturday, April 15.
Owners Julie and Wade Pannell operate five other Fleet Feet stores in Washington, two in the Tacoma area and three in Spokane.
Neptune Society coming
Neptune Society, which offers pre-planned cremation services to help avoid overspending on funerals, is opening a location in Kennewick.
The sales office will open in a 1,600-square-foot spot at 4309 W. 27th Place, east of the Cynergy building, at Union Avenue.
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