One of Lacey’s best known restaurants has a new owner. Now, about those Costco rumors...
Ricardo’s Kitchen & Bar, a Lacey steakhouse that’s one of the best known restaurants in the city, has a new owner after founders Rick and Marie Nelsen decided to sell the business earlier this year.
They didn’t have to go far to find the new owner.
Shane Holland, who worked as a server and later as general manager, bought the business in March after he and Rick spent about five months negotiating the deal.
Holland said he came to love the restaurant and really believed in the food the business was providing, but he also “couldn’t build someone else’s dream,” so he finally asked whether Rick would sell the business. He would.
The Nelsens ran Ricardo’s for nearly 20 years. Initially, the restaurant was located on Lacey Boulevard, then it moved to Woodland Square Loop near Huntamer Park in Lacey’s Midtown.
Kirkland-based MJR Development bought a number of vacant office buildings in the area, then wooed Ricardo’s to the site, spearheading much of the redevelopment that has since taken place in Midtown.
In brief comments to The Olympian, Rick Nelsen said he considers himself semi-retired, although he’s not finished with the restaurant business just yet, he said.
Originally from Seattle, Holland has worked in the restaurant and bar business for more than 20 years. His forte is what the restaurant industry calls the “front of the house,” or the guest-facing domain of servers and hosts.
The “back of the house” at Ricardo’s belongs to French Chef Mikael Besnier, who Holland hired two years ago while he was general manager. Besnier previously worked at a two-star-rated Michelin restaurant in California, Holland said.
Although Ricardo’s is still largely the same restaurant, Holland acknowledged there have been a few changes. Wednesdays are now Sushi nights, and Holland made sure the lounge is more than just an extension of the restaurant, giving it a “darker vibe,” he said.
Holland also wants to take advantage of the public indoor space next to Ricardo’s known as The Hub. The space has hosted comedy shows, live music and Oly Night Market, in which vendors sell their items while Ricardo’s provides food and drinks. Oly Night Market takes place twice a month, he said.
Ricardo’s at 676 Woodland Square Loop SE is open 3-9 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays and 3-10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Happy hour is 3-6 p.m. five nights a week.
Other business happenings
Is a WinCo coming to Tumwater and is the Tumwater Costco moving? That’s just some of the chatter and speculation that recently played out over the social media site Next Door.
City of Tumwater officials are aware of the social media-driven rumors, but they are not aware of any plan that would bring WinCo to the area or see the Tumwater Costco move, spokeswoman Ann Cook said.
But the city does know this: Costco is putting the finishing touches on a 1.1 million-square-foot distribution center at 2311 93rd Ave. SW, she said.
Cook said the city is close to issuing a certificate of occupancy for the new building.
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.
This story was originally published November 18, 2022 at 5:00 AM with the headline "One of Lacey’s best known restaurants has a new owner. Now, about those Costco rumors...."
