Good morning!

Here’s the latest:

 • Pho Tan, a Vietnamese restaurant, recently closed after nearly three years in business. 

Sydena Severe, property and leasing manager for MK Properties, which owns the space at the Orchards Shopping Center at 72nd Avenue and Tieton Drive, said the restaurant vacated the space at the end of last month.

The company is now working... Read this post

YAKIMA, Wash. -- Nearly two months after Carl’s Jr. opened in Ellensburg, I’ve received word that franchisee Paul Jones is looking to open in Yakima.

Jones confirmed today that he has the former Wendy’s property at 2208 S. First St. — located outside of Union Gap — under contract and hopes to complete the purchase in the next few weeks.

Jones, 3... Read this post

YAKIMA, Wash. -- In my column yesterday, I wrote that Jimmy John’s was likely to open earlier than planned.

That opening turned out to be much earlier.

The sandwich shop opened today on the ground floor of the Larson Building at Second Street and Yakima Avenue.

As expected, the shop attracted a crowd of diners wanting to try the place out. Among the diners were downto... Read this post

Local Wendy’s fans will have to wait a bit longer for those Frostys.

Wendy’s franchisee BZB Enterprises previously aimed to reopen the Yakima restaurant at 2208 S. First St. around April 9. But April 9 has come and gone and now the opening date is unclear.

Driving that uncertainty was a greater cost in remodeling other stores up to Wendy’s sta... Read this post

YAKIMA, Wash. — The Yakima Sports Center may have new owners in the coming weeks, shortly after the establishment’s sixth anniversary later this month.

Co-owner Chris Malland confirmed today that he and his partners are working on a deal to sell. Malland declined to give any details about the potential owner.

The deal should take about 30 days and close by the beginning of May, he said.

Meanwhile, the restaurant’s three owners are transitionin... Read this post

YAKIMA, Wash. — The number of video stores in Yakima continue to dwindle.

Blockbuster will close its store on 56th and Summitview avenues May 20, store manager Ian Strait said Tuesday.

The store’s employees learned about the closure last week, he said. The six employees will be transferred to Blockbuster stores at 501 W. Lincoln Ave. and 2706 W. Nob Hill Blvd.

The store is being liquidated. Both used and new movies are being sold at a discount and items ... Read this post

YAKIMA — Some of you shopping at the Target store at 12 N. Fair Ave. this weekend might be curious about all the shipping containers in the parking lot.

These containers are part of a planned remodel, which started today.

The store is one of more than 300 stores that have or will receive ... Read this post

YAKIMA, Wash. -- Yogurt Shack, the latest player in local self-serve frozen yogurt joints, will open at noon today at the Orchards Shopping Center on 72nd and Chestnut avenues.

The business is owned by Don Copp, who owns a number of Papa Murphy’s pizza locations in the Yakima Valley. He said previously said that other Papa Murphy’s franchises have opened frozen yogurt shops.

... Read this post

YAKIMA, Wash. -- After much speculation and anticipation, outdoor sporting goods store Cabela’s announced that it is coming to the Yakima Valley.

This morning, Cabela’s executives announced record earnings for the fourth quarter and for 2011 overall.

Such success drove the decision to accelerate retail expansion, said CEO Tommy Millner.

Those plans include the opening of ... Read this post

YAKIMA, Wash. — Shop Talk is on retail announcement watch.

Last month, I reported that CenterCal Properties, owner of the Valley Mall, had a letter-of-intent for the second anchor tenant at the Washington Plaza development at 1400 E. Washington Ave.

CenterCal CEO Fred Bruning said previously that the identity of the tenant would be revealed once the lease was signed.