Auburn civic and business leaders joined Pick-Quick Drive In owners and staff on Monday in an official groundbreaking ceremony at the restaurant’s second location.
It marks the first expansion for the popular, family-owned restaurant since it originally opened for business in Fife in 1949. The 2,450-square-foot restaurant – which will be located at 1002 Auburn Way N., at the corner of 12th Street Northeast – will employ 50 people.
It is expected to open this winter.
“It’s a big milestone, absolutely, said Gerard Centioli, president and CEO of Icon LLC, part owner of the new establishment. “For over 60 years, there’s been only one Pick-Quick. The idea of having a second one right here in Auburn we’re very excited about.”
Pick-Quick, a Burgi family-owned burger institution, and Seattle-based Icon LLC, owned by the Centioli family, have formed a partnership to bring a Pick-Quick to Auburn.
Centioli announced on Sept. 9 that the iconic Pick-Quick restaurant will expand to Auburn. The eatery specializes in burgers, fries and shakes.
Auburn proved to be a good spot to launch a second restaurant, Centioli said.
“It was on the top of our list,” Centioli explained. “We like the proximity to the original (location) … close enough that people know what it is, but not so close that it would take sales from the original.”
The second Pick-Quick will be able to offer year-round service and indoor seating that the original 450-square-foot Fife location does not offer.
Mayor Pete Lewis is appreciative of the distinction of being the first new location of an institution that dates back more than 60 years.
“On behalf of the City Council and citizens of Auburn, I am pleased to welcome Pick-Quick to our community,” Lewis said in a statement. “We are honored to have been chosen for their new location. We know that this new location represents new opportunities and new history for this legend of the Puget Sound. We look forward to working with Joe Burgi, his son Greg and son-in-law Dan, along with Gerard Centioli, as they become part of the fabric of the Auburn community.”
The new Pick-Quick in Auburn will be the first of three new buildings constructed at the site. It will incorporate sustainable design features and is expected to be eligible for silver certification by the United States Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy Efficiency Design (LEED).
Since June, the City has worked with the Pick-Quick team to complete planning, building and engineering reviews in record time to help the new restaurant start construction this fall.
Planning and Development Director Kevin Snyder has worked closely with Pick-Quick team and was impressed with their professionalism.
“From our first meeting with team, we worked in sync to ensure that their timelines and needs were met,” Snyder said. “On the City side, we have worked very hard to develop and implement the best development review process in the Puget Sound. This project gave us an opportunity to showcase our efforts. When presented with a tight timeline and a significant work effort, City staff met the challenge and was consistently ahead of all mutually agreed upon deadlines.”
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About Pick-Quick
Pick-Quick was opened in Fife in 1949 by owners Jay Adolph and Henrietta Olsen and was operated from 1953 to 1958 by Andy and Victoria Boitano. In 1958, the restaurant was purchased by Paul and Ida Schorno and Ernie and Rosena Marty. In 1980, it was sold it to Joe and Betty Burgi and Joe and Joyce Imhof. In 1998, the Imhof’s sold their interest to Greg and Judy Burgi and Dan and Cindi Nelson who along with Joe and Betty Burgi, remain the owners of Pick-Quick in Fife today.
