Dick’s Drive-In breaks ground in Federal Way

By Olivia Sullivan • November 4, 2022 1:55 pm
Photo by Bruce Honda Elected officials, project leaders, community members and President Jasmine Donovan, kneeling in front, prepare to break ground on Nov. 3.
Photo by Bruce Honda Elected officials, project leaders, community members and President Jasmine Donovan, kneeling in front, prepare to break ground on Nov. 3.

Dick’s Drive-In hosted a groundbreaking ceremony in Federal Way for the incoming restaurant on Nov. 2.

A steady stream of people attended the evening event, which featured Dick’s burgers food truck, a DJ, and a swag shop with a chance to spin the wheel for a prize.

“[We’re] so honored and proud to be here with everyone to celebrate and break ground of our new restaurant,” said Jasmine Donovan, the president and CEO of Dick’s, and granddaughter of founder Dick Spady.

After officials and community members shoveled the first mound of dirt with custom tools made by Seattle artist Madeline Jo, a projected light display, created by Sig Gustafsson, showed a digital rendering of what the incoming restaurant will look like along Pacific Highway South.

This is restaurant number nine for the American fast food company, which has begun spreading out of its Seattle bastion. Five of the locations are in Seattle. The other three existing spots are located in Edmonds, Bellevue and Kent.

Deputy Mayor Susan Honda and Council President Linda Kochmar thanked the company for choosing Federal Way, with Kochmar adding that having the iconic chain in Federal Way puts the city on the map.

The drive-in will be constructed by Schuchart, a commercial general contractor who also built the Kent location and several others.

The incoming restaurant, at 1928 S. Commons, takes up a prominent spot facing Pacific Highway in front of the new Amazon Fresh building on the mall’s west flank. The tentative aim for opening is June 2023. Coincidentally, Dick’s Drive-In will be located not too far from Dick’s Sporting Goods at the mall.

“I will say that our restaurant constriction projects can be challenging ones, and we build our restaurants to last because we want to be here for many decades, and serve generations of customers here in Federal Way,” said Donovan.

The new Federal Way location, which the company announced in April, will be the furthest south Dick’s has reached so far.

Reporter Alex Bruell contributed to this article.

Custom shovels, designed by artist Madeline Jo, feature repurposed materials such as wood from a former car port and 3D-printed joints.

Custom shovels, designed by artist Madeline Jo, feature repurposed materials such as wood from a former car port and 3D-printed joints.

Photos by Olivia Sullivan/the Mirror A digital display of the classic 1950s storefront coming to Federal Way.

Photos by Olivia Sullivan/the Mirror A digital display of the classic 1950s storefront coming to Federal Way.