Burbank business owner followed his dreams, wants students to do the same

A band, cheerleaders and 800 kids from the Columbia School District in Burbank helped celebrate the opening of a new gas station on the corner of 5th Street on Wednesday.

It wasn't just any grand opening celebration, the owner of Friend's Corner, Joe Kumar from Kennewick says he hopes to spread the message to students about following their dreams and keeping a sense of community.

"Anything can happen here, any dream can come true in America, I've seen that, my dream came true, I think anybody's dream can come true," says Kumar.

Kumar says he started in Quincy, WA, with very little, later moving to the area and opening two gas stations in the Tri-Cities area, and one in Waitsburg. The newest gas station in Burbank is a way to give back to the community he has lived near for 12 years.

"I didn't know how to start this, what to do, a few years back the Port of Walla Walla started this project, and I thought 'Ok I can make my dream here now, I can build the store and create work for the community,'" says Kumar.

Kumar's gas station is one of the first businesses to be built in the new Burbank Business Park, which has 97 commercial-zoned lots on approximately 120 acres right off Highway 12.

Columbia School Middle School Principle Mike Taylor says despite the growth that they expect to see in the future and a changing look of Burbank, they want to remind kids that the city is still a close-knit community.

"Regardless of how much development we have, that the community and the feel of the community doesn't change," says Taylor.

Beyond advice, the students also got a treat on their "field-trip," each getting a free slice of pizza from the gas station.