Business

Long-awaited downtown restaurant among multiple biz openings this week

A downtown Olympia restaurant and bar, previously known as King Solomon’s Reef, has reopened under new ownership as The Reef, the business has announced.

A contact for the business could not be reached. The Reef is at 212 Fourth Ave. E.

The menu shows the business is serving appetizers, including grilled oysters from Perkins Family Farms in Olympia, as well as sandwiches, salads, all-day breakfast, house favorites and cocktails.

The Reef is open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Fridays and 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Brunch is served 8 a.m. to noon on the weekends, according to an Instagram post.

The Olympian wrote about the business in January.

Other business happenings

Lacey is getting a new Ross Dress For Less store and it’s grand opening is set for July 20, the business has announced on the company website.

Ross Dress For Less is opening a store in Lacey next month.
Ross Dress For Less is opening a store in Lacey next month. rboone@theolympian.com Rolf Boone

The location is at a shopping center at 1240 Marvin Road NE which also houses Costco and The Home Depot. The Ross space used to be occupied by electronics retailer Best Buy until it closed in March 2022.

Ross already has two locations in Olympia, at Pacific Avenue and Fones Road, and on Harrison Avenue on the city’s west side.

Although Best Buy closed its Lacey location, it still has a store at Capital Mall.

Need some Legos? Check out the new business called Bricks & Minifigs.

“After several shipping delays, all of our cabinets and fixtures have slowly arrived this week, just in time for the fun to truly begin!” business officials said on Facebook. “We can’t wait to share this amazing space with you all. It’s going to be a bricktastic time for the whole family!”

The grand opening was set for 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, June 29, at 2410 Harrison Ave. NW, Suite 101.

Evergreen Valley Lavender Farm in Olympia just had its grand re-opening for the new season. It is their 15th year of providing “sights and smells to Olympia,” the operators said on social media.

“The weather has had a great effect on the blooms and we hope we get lots of sun,” the post reads. “In addition, we will have plants for sale and lavender lemonade again this year. The Gift Shoppe will be filled with lots of desirable gifts and products made for our lavender flowers.”

The farm’s summer hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

People news

Olympia Federal Savings has hired James Vanderholm, CPA, as its new chief financial officer.

Vanderholm comes to the thrift from RiverBank in Spokane where he was a vice president and controller. Before RiverBank, he spent the first part of his career at the accounting firm Moss Adams.

“We look forward to the significant contributions he will make in driving our financial strategy and supporting our mission and community-focused initiatives,” said Olympia Federal President and CEO Josh Deck in a statement.

Vanderholm earned his undergraduate degree in business administration at Eastern Washington University in Cheney.

James Vanderholm
James Vanderholm Olympia Federal Savings Courtesy
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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 June 28, 2024 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Long-awaited downtown restaurant among multiple biz openings this week."

Rolf Boone
The Olympian
Rolf has worked at The Olympian since August 2005. He covers breaking news, the city of Lacey and business for the paper. Rolf graduated from The Evergreen State College in 1990. Support my work with a digital subscription
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