Saturday, May 31, 2014

Airport staple Florentyna's will have to find a new home: Tri-Cities Airport (KPSC), Pasco, Washington



PASCO, Wash. -- An airport staple is going to have to find a new home. Florentyna's restaurant will lose its lease once the airport is remodeled. The Port of Pasco voted on a new restaurant. 

Debbi Downs travels every other month through the Tri-Cities Airport and says she always eats at Florentyna's.

"First time I came to Tri-Cities, we ate here, had great tomato bisque soup, the service was great," said Debbi.

The restaurant has a lease through 2017, but the airport decided on a new tenant. Tailwind Concessions expects to invest $1.5 million into a new restaurant and concession stands. That was $400,000 more than what Florentyna's could offer.

"They've been here for a long time, sad to see them leave the airport," Debbi said.

After being in the airport for the past 17 years, owner Cindy Goulet is not sure what's next for Florentyna's.

"Well, at this point I don't have another place for it, but that could possibly happen," said Cindy.

She negotiated with the port for more than a year before the decision was made. Cindy says she was prepared for the worst-case scenario.

"You're waiting for and trying to find that location that would work best for the restaurant, and so, I haven't quite found that yet," she said.

Tailwinds operates restaurants at ten other airports around the nation. Currently, the furthest west is in Texas.

"I wish they would have stayed local, because it's certainly not a local business, but, no, I don't have any resentment," said Cindy.

Tailwinds expects to pay higher rent than what was paid by Florentyna's. That made it easy for the Port to decide.

"You know, it's a business decision," Cindy said. "I saw all the numbers, and I saw what I offered and what Tailwinds offered and that was a better deal, and the Port of Pasco, that's what they were looking for."

It's not yet clear if the Tri-Cities Airport will buy out the rest of Florentyna's lease or if the restaurant will even stay open through the remodel.

The new restaurant will offer American cuisine and be located behind the security checkpoint.

Story and video: 
http://www.keprtv.com

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