Asian fusion eatery to open Olympia site, and local brewery partners for expansion
The restaurant Red Lantern Asian Fusion, which has a seven-year track record in Yelm, is expanding to downtown Olympia, the owner said this week.
Tiffany Lin said the business, which serves Chinese, Vietnamese and Thai food, is set to open at the corner of Columbia Street and Fifth Avenue. The restaurant is aiming for an opening near the end of November, she said.
Lin has been thinking about expanding for three years, partly because she lives in Olympia and also is known for selling donuts at the Olympia Farmers Market through a business called Kawaii Donut House.
What’s popular at Red Lantern? Some of the more popular dishes include Singapore noodles, yellow curry and “heavenly beef,” which is a grilled marinated beef served with garlic sauce. It is especially good with rice, Lin said.
She expects to initially operate the Olympia location seven days a week and then adjust her hours, if necessary, depending on the pace of business.
Lin, who is originally from Taiwan, said there is a meaning behind the name “red lantern.”
“Traditionally, red lanterns are hung to welcome guests and bring happiness, prosperity and light into the community,” she said. “For us, the Red Lantern represents a place where people come together to share delicious food, joyful moments and cultural connection.”
Want to try Red Lantern before it expands to Olympia? The Yelm location is at 10501 Creek St SE, Suite 9.
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Three Magnets Brewing plans to expand
Olympia’s Three Magnets Brewing is partnering with the Chehalis Tribe-owned brewery Talking Cedar, the downtown brewery announced on its website.
The partnership involves Talking Cedar brewing Three Magnets’ non-alcoholic Self Care beers in order to expand into major retail in the Northwest and beyond, the site reads.
Would you like to invest in the Self Care product?
The business is soliciting equity investors and has so far raised about $400,000 from 295 people. The minimum investment is $300 and there are 11 days left in the campaign.
Pete Lea’s proposes new location
Pete Lea’s Automotive Medical Center wants to build a location at 114 Lilly Road NE, according to the city of Olympia, which has received a land use application for the proposal.
“The proposal is to construct a new, two-story, 6,146-square-foot auto repair shop,” the project description reads.
Care to comment on this proposal? Send them to Associate Planner Paula Smith at psmith@ci.olympia.wa.us by 5 p.m. Oct. 23.
Shelton restaurant celebrates 2 years of business
County Line Fire, a wood-fired pizza and tapas restaurant in Shelton, is celebrating two years of business this month with a customer appreciation weekend Oct. 26, said owner and chef Tobie Robinson.
“Since opening our doors on October 26, 2023, County Line Fire has become a community gathering place — where people come together around wood-fired pizza, scratch-made ingredients, and local craft beer,” he said in an email. “Everything we serve is fired by hand and flame, and guests love watching the process as much as they love tasting the result.”
County Line Fire is at 203 W. Railroad Ave.
Former TwinStar Credit Union is now Peak Credit Union
TwinStar Credit Union is now Peak Credit Union, according to the Peak Credit Union website.
“Formed in 2025 through the merger of TwinStar Credit Union and Northwest Community Credit Union, Peak carries a legacy that stretches back to 1938. Rooted in teachers and wood products, our foundation is built by people dedicated to building a brighter future, board by board, lesson by lesson,” the website reads.
“Our vision for the future is to build communities where all feel financially secure and empowered to reach their dreams. At Peak, building community isn’t just a belief — it’s a promise.”
Olympia Federal Savings opens new branch
OlyFed has opened its newest branch in historic downtown Chehalis at 535 N. Market Boulevard, the thrift announced.
It is the bank’s ninth branch in its 119-year history, a full-service financial center packed into 600 square feet.
“This is a big deal for OlyFed as it’s been 10 years since we opened our last branch,” Josh Deck, president and CEO, said in a statement.
“We were very deliberate in choosing Lewis County, which is a community focused on delivering a high-quality of life and where neighbors take care of neighbors, which why we have already invested in more than a dozen local nonprofit organizations,” he said.
Real estate
It appears work is about to begin on a major apartment project in Lacey, according to a check of the property near Huntamer Park, which shows land being cleared.
MJR Development of Kirkland, a business that has redeveloped a number of buildings in the immediate area, including for medical, office and apartment needs, has also planned the Seventh Avenue apartments, a 376-unit proposal with 18,000 square feet of ground-floor commercial space, on a largely unused parking lot east of the park.
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 October 10, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
