Restaurant, bar, ax-throwing and 200 arcade games coming to Olympia

Insert Coin, which opened nearly three years ago in downtown Centralia, is bringing a restaurant, bar, arcade games, ax throwing and more to Olympia, the co-owner of the business said this week.

Keli and Daniel Coleman are renovating a 23,000-square-foot spot next to Albertsons at Pacific Avenue and Fones Road that was once home to Crunch Fitness.

They expect to open the business in late summer or early fall, Keli Coleman said.

One reason the business will open then is because they have to build the kitchen and bar. They also will have 10 lanes of ax throwing, a self-pour beer wall, a robot bartender called the “Makr Shakr,” party rooms and 200 arcade games, both vintage and new.

Despite its name, the arcade games are either set to free play or require a card that is purchased and then swiped to start the game. The cards are reusable and will work in both Olympia and Centralia, Coleman said.

Some of the games spit out tickets that can be accumulated and exchanged for prizes.

The self-pour beer wall will have 32 taps, including cider and wine. Why a robot bartender? It can make 80 drinks per hour, she said, adding that “it’s more consistent and doesn’t over-pour.”

However, a real person will need to be standing by to check IDs, Coleman said.

The restaurant will serve pub-style food, including its popular hand-stuffed burgers and pizzas made with fresh sourdough. What are the burgers stuffed with? Bacon and cheddar cheese, mushrooms and Swiss cheese, caramelized onions and provolone are some of the combinations.

The bar will serve cocktails and mocktails with video game themes, she said.

The business has been approved by the state to sell franchises, Coleman said, which includes training the new franchisee and using their menu.

The new location, which is more than twice the size of the Centralia site, expects to employ 40 people, both full-and part-time. Those who would like to apply should send an email to olympia@insertcoin.wa.com.

Insert Coin Olympia intends to operate 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and until midnight Fridays and Saturdays.

Other business happenings

Olyphant Art Supply is moving, the business announced on Facebook.

Currently located on Fifth Avenue in downtown Olympia, the longtime business is headed to 601 Capitol Way S., at Legion Way, the former home of the Burial Grounds Coffee Collective.

“We will be closed February 27th-29th for the big move! Online and in-store pickups will also be closed that time as well. We’ll be back up and running March 1st at our new location,” the Facebook post reads.

Heritage Distilling, which operates a distillery and tasting room in Tumwater, has acquired Thinking Tree Spirits, a craft distillery in Eugene, Oregon, the business announced.

Once the transaction closes, Heritage will own 100% of the Thinking Tree assets and brands, company officials said in a news release. The combined entity will have two production facilities for spirits, one in Tumwater, the other in Eugene, five retail tasting rooms, a combined online direct-to-consumer presence, and a growing wholesale distribution across the Pacific Northwest and a number of new states in the Midwest.

A mini-storage operation called Cram-a-Lot has submitted a land-use application for four additional mini-storage buildings totaling about 32,000 square feet at 10501 Highway 12 SW in Rochester, according to Thurston County information.

The project also requests an administrative wetland buffer reduction from 220 feet to a minimum of 165 feet, according to the county.

The project requires SEPA review due to the size of the proposed additions and volume of grading (over 500 cubic yards). The site zoning is Rural Commercial Center in rural, unincorporated Thurston County.

The comment period ends at 4 p.m. Thursday, March 7. Send your comments to Associate Planner Scott McCormick at scott.mccormick@co.thurston.wa.us.

Meanwhile, the city of Tumwater’s Development Review Committee, which provides feedback on early-stage development proposals, is set to hear a pitch from Emerald City Behavioral Health.

They want to remodel a one-story building into a 16-bed residential treatment facility at 1625 Mottman Road SW. The meeting to discuss the proposal is set for Feb. 29, according to city information.

People news

Beth Henriquez has been named executive director of Enterprise for Equity, a nonprofit that helps those with limited incomes become business owners.

Henriquez has been Enterprise for Equity’s business trainer, program director and loan officer for more than 16 years. She replaces longtime executive director and co-founder Lisa Smith, who held the role for more than 20 years.

“We thank her for laying the foundations of the organization, building strong community partnerships, and ensuring innovation is a part of our core practices as we support new entrepreneurs and nurture the businesses we have served, especially those who have been marginalized,” Enterprise for Equity officials announced in a newsletter.

If you know of a retailer, restaurant, coffee shop or other business that is opening, closing, expanding, remodeling, or changing its focus, send an email to reporter Rolf Boone at rboone@theolympian.com.