Something new is opening at Columbia Center mall. It’s going to ‘quake it up’

Wendy Culverwell

Quake Family Fun Center, the dinosaur- and trampoline-focused venue in Badger Canyon, is celebrating its first anniversary with a new arcade-focused edition inside Kennewick’s Columbia Center mall.

The Quake arcade, complete with animatronic dinosaurs, in a 2,000-square-foot spot overlooking the food court, is due to open around mid-September.

“We’re going to Quake it up,” said Paul Knabe, whose team established the original Quake, as a family entertainment destination in September 2023.

Business partners Merry Holmes, Paul Knabe, Mike Detrick and Tracy and Donavan Nickerson, from left, wil extend their Quake family entertainment center brand to Columbia Center, where they will open an arcade in September.
Business partners Merry Holmes, Paul Knabe, Mike Detrick and Tracy and Donavan Nickerson, from left, wil extend their Quake family entertainment center brand to Columbia Center, where they will open an arcade in September.

Knabe intended to open the arcade earlier, but was delayed by a broken door. The replacement is on order. Once that is installed, Quake will move in the arcade games it ordered for the new spot, many new to the Tri-Cities, and welcome guests.

Knabe said the new location began as a way to market the original Quake to families that hadn’t yet heard of it.

Quake wanted to install animatronics at the mall to draw attention from shoppers. They were enticed by the number of shoppers and the mall’s ability to draw customers from throughout the region.

An animated T-Rex dinosaur greets visitors just inside the entrance of at the Quake Family Fun Center at 106904 E. Detrick PR in west Kennewick. Quake is adding a second venue, an arcade, at Columbia Center mall in September..
An animated T-Rex dinosaur greets visitors just inside the entrance of at the Quake Family Fun Center at 106904 E. Detrick PR in west Kennewick. Quake is adding a second venue, an arcade, at Columbia Center mall in September..

They decided to turn it into a proper arcade to complement the original.

The original is a 40,000-square-foot venue packed with activities catering to families with children of all ages and even fitness levels.

It centers on an ambitious trampoline park but boasts a dinosaur theme, video and arcade games, interactive activities, fitness facilities, party rooms and food service. It has teamed with an after-school provider and taken other steps to build the business.

Both editions of Quake are owned by Knabe, his partner Merry Holmes, and Tracy and Donavan Nickerson. The former Alaskans named their business for a 7.0 earthquake that struck Anchorage on Nov. 1, 2018.

The original is at 106904 E. Detrick PR, near Cottonwood Elementary in Badger Canyon.

Follow Quake on Facebook.

Quake, the dinosaur-themed trampoline park and entertainment venue, will open an arcade at Columbia Center mall in September.
Quake, the dinosaur-themed trampoline park and entertainment venue, will open an arcade at Columbia Center mall in September.

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