RICHLAND, Wash. – The iconic Ray’s Golden Lion is ready to roar again for a new generation. According to Co-Owner Talon Yager, the venue has hosted acts such as Meatloaf, Frank Sinatra Jr. and Tina Turner.
Ray’s has been a staple in the Tri-Cities for over 50 years and since Yager and his business partner Andrew McVay have faced obstacles that almost put a halt to re-opening. The new owners can finally let the lion out of its cage.
Yager said he had no doubts that he and McVay would get Ray’s back up and running.
“If it was the last thing we did, we were going to get this place open,” Yager said. “If that meant selling everything we owned we were going to do it.”
Yager said the venue opened its doors in 1963 as a Mongolian and Chinese restaurant before adding musical acts.
Yager said he’s got a lot of good memories at Ray’s Golden Lion and it’s something he wants others to experience as well.
“Giving bands another outlet, another place to play, a home, like it was to us,” he said. “Taking care of the bands as they should be. Other than that, just having another awesome place to hang out at.”
While the excitement of having Ray’s back is something the two owners worked hard to bring back to the community, it didn’t come without setbacks.
“The pipes bursting, the gas leak, things like that,” said Yager.
He said those setbacks added up financially, and they almost ran out of money.
Yager said they turned to those who matter most to them for help: the community.
“They were a big help down the stretch; you know we were right there at the finish line,” Yager said. “The issue was just the money on hand. It was a big deal for the community to help us out.”
Courtney Palmer has been coming to Ray’s since she was 13. She said her dad used to play there. She said she was sad when the venue closed down but feels like it’s come full circle.
Palmer said she got emotional when they opened the doors. She works at Ray’s now as a server and bartender; she said she couldn’t be more thankful for Yager and McVay for not giving up.
“It means the world that they were willing to push through all the things that kept happening,” Palmer said. “We had to keep pushing our opening date and they still stuck with it. You know they didn’t give up; it’s just too much we’re just going to let go.”
After a month of delay, Ray’s Golden Lion opened; Yager said the old and newer patrons blew him away and wants to make sure he’s doing Ray proud.
“I’m hoping he’s looking down on us and is very happy that we’re keeping his name alive and everything he created,” he said.
Ray’s Golden Lion is open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.
