Construction fencing is down at Kennewick Chick-fil-A. Opening appears imminent
The opening of the Tri-Cities' first Chick-fil-A appears imminent.
Workers removed fencing from the construction site, 7009 W. Canal, on Friday. The Atlanta-based chicken chain posted the restaurant would open in June on a business identifier posted to Google Maps. It did not give a date.
A spokesperson for the company said an opening date could be shared on Monday.
In the interim, the Benton Franklin Health District inspected the restaurant on June 4, a key step before it can open. Results were pending on Friday.
Dawn Hodges, a Kennewick entrepreneur and graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, is the owner and operator of the much-anticipated addition to the Tri-Cities restaurant scene.
Chick-fil-A confirmed it would open its first store in the Tri-Cities a little more than a year ago. It settled on a former parking lot next to Wendy's in the Hobby Lobby shopping center in western Kennewick.
it is putting the finishing touches on a 4,927-square-foot restaurant, which includes 99 parking stalls, seating for 76 and a covered dual-lane drive-thru. It began hiring more than a month ago.
Go to chick-fil-a.com for job postings.
It has reportedly scouted sites for a second restaurant in Richland's Queensgate area.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
TechCrunch
20 minutes ago
- TechCrunch
Google reportedly plans to cut ties with Scale AI
In Brief Meta's big investment in Scale AI may be giving some of the startup's customers pause. Reuters reports that Google had planned to pay Scale $200 million this year but is now having conversations with its competitors and planning to cut ties with the startup. Microsoft is also reportedly looking to pull back, and OpenAI supposedly made a similar decision months ago, although its CFO said the company will continue working with Scale as one of many vendors. Scale's customers include self-driving car companies and the U.S. government, but Reuters says its biggest clients are generative AI companies seeking access to workers with specialized knowledge that they can use to annotate data for training models. A Scale spokesperson declined to comment on the company's relationship with Google, but he told TechCrunch that Scale's business remains strong, and that it will continue to operate as an independent company that safeguards its customers' data. Earlier reports suggest that Meta invested $14.3 billion in Scale for a 49% stake in the company, with Scale CEO Alexandr Wang joining Meta to lead the company's efforts to develop 'superintelligence.'
CNN
23 minutes ago
- CNN
Anne Wojcicki's nonprofit wins bid to acquire genetic testing company 23andMe
A nonprofit led by Anne Wojcicki, the co-founder and former chief executive of 23andMe, won a bid to acquire the genetic testing company following its bankruptcy filing in March. Wojcicki's California-based nonprofit, TTAM Research Institute, will purchase 23andMe for $305 million, according to a news release on Friday. It's the final twist in the bidding war between TTAM and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, which announced on May 19 that it would buy most of 23andMe's assets for $256 million. The Wall Street Journal reported that New York-based Regeneron cited 'its assessment of 23andMe's remaining value' for not submitting a higher bid. 23andMe and Regeneron did not respond to CNN's request for comment. Wojcicki stepped down from 23andMe on March 24, when the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. 23andMe's struggles drew attention in September 2024 when all seven of the company's independent directors resigned en masse, citing frustration with Wojcicki's 'strategic direction' and efforts to take the company private. In November 2024, 23andMe cut about 40% of its workforce, or roughly 200 employees, and discontinued developments of its therapies in a restructuring effort. 23andMe, which at one point was valued at $6 billion, has collected genetic data from 15 million customers through at-home DNA testing kits that used saliva samples. The testing kits offered 'personalized genetic insights' that could flag potential health risks. But 23andMe struggled to convert one-time buyers into subscribers. The company's bankruptcy filing sparked concern about data privacy, as customers worried their genetic information would be sold to a third party. Twenty-seven states and the District of Columbia filed a lawsuit on Monday against 23andMe to block the sale of genetic data without customer consent. Interested companies could use 23andMe's data to personalize their products or advertising. Genetics can be linked to food preferences, for instance. Genetic data could also be used when developing personalized medicine, Gideon Nave, an associate professor of marketing at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, told CNN in March. There aren't many restrictions in place to prevent genetic discrimination, although the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act prevents gene information from being used for discrimination in health insurance coverage or employment. According to the news release, TTAM said that it will comply with 23andMe's privacy policies and honor existing policies regarding customer data rights, such as deleting accounts and opting out of research. 'I am thrilled that TTAM Research Institute will be able to continue the mission of 23andMe to help people access, understand and benefit from the human genome. We believe it is critical that individuals are empowered to have choice and transparency with respect to their genetic data and have the opportunity to continue to learn about their ancestry and health risks as they wish,' Wojcicki said in a news release. TTAM, an acronym for the first letters of 23andMe, will acquire 'substantially all' of 23andMe's assets, including its personal genome service, research services and Lemonaid Health, a telehealth program acquired by the company in 2021. The deal still needs to be approved by the US Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Missouri. A hearing is scheduled for June 17, according to the release. CNN's Lisa Eadicicco contributed to this report.
Forbes
27 minutes ago
- Forbes
Leaders, Remember This: All Business Is Personal
. Pexels In recent years we've heard a lot about employee engagement, and much of it is bad news. According to Gallup's 2024 study, 62% of employees are not engaged. This is often referred to as 'quiet quitting.' Perhaps even worse, 15% of employees are actively disengaged. Some call this 'loud quitting.' Only 23% of employees are actively engaged in their work. In the U.S., employee engagement has declined to a 10-year low, with the percentage dropping by two percentage points since 2023. Ouch! How does this impact individual businesses? Gallup finds that companies with highly engaged workforces see 21% higher profitability and 17% higher productivity compared to those with disengaged workers. Meanwhile, there's a related story that deserves meticulous attention: customer engagement. Dr. Joseph Michelli is an excellent source. He's a renowned author, speaker, and business consultant known for his expertise in customer experience, leadership, and organizational culture. Over the years, he's earned a reputation as a thought leader in the realm of business strategy—helping companies create meaningful connections with customers while improving their internal operations. His approach is rooted in the belief that businesses should place people—customers, employees, and stakeholders—at the heart of everything they do. Michelli has written bestselling books on Starbucks, Zappos and Airbnb, and his book Prescription for Excellence hit #1 on the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestseller lists. His most recent book is titled All Business is Personal. Michelli cites research showing that customers with a strong emotional connection with a business have a 306% higher lifetime value to that business than those without such a bond. That begs the question: how does the idea of a strong emotional connection apply to, say, a company that sells you tires for your car? That seems more transactional than personal. Michelli happens to have experience with exactly that same scenario. He bought tires from one shop that promised lifetime tire rotation as part of the deal. But when he never heard from them, he concluded that they were hoping he'd never return for a rotation. He later bought tires from another company that also promised free rotations as part of the value proposition. But this second company sends periodic text messages reminding him to return for (free) tire rotations to preserve his investment. He says that company has earned his trust as a customer for life. . . Emotional intelligence is a key ingredient of customer engagement, Michelli says. 'The great news is that unlike IQ, where we're kind of born with that learning potential, EQ is a trainable phenomenon. We can mindfully get better at it by learning to read nonverbals and by asking thoughtful questions.' With the rise of artificial intelligence and automation, how does Michelli see technology affecting the personal side of business relationships in both the near future and down the road? On the positive side, he cites One Medical, an Amazon-owned primary health care service that provides in-person care and online resources, including a mobile app. When a patient enters an exam room with a One Medical doctor, the conversation is recorded and transcribed (with the patient's permission) so the doctor can focus on the patient instead of on notes and a computer keyboard. 'Unfortunately, we also see lots of brands where you can't find an 800 number on their website and you can't speak to a human,' Michelli says. 'They put chatbots everywhere. Some of them are pretty sophisticated, but when you need a human there's no human to be had.' Michelli's book is based on mounds of rock-solid research, and its dedication to his grandchildren summarizes his hope: 'May they and their peers inherit and nurture a world where technology assists but humanity prevails.' Indeed, all business is personal.
