Walgreens to open July 30 at Pines, Sprague

The southeast corner of Sprague and Pines is experiencing a resurgence, with three businesses set to open or reopen during the next several months.

A new full-service Walgreens will offer 24-hour-a-day service after its 14,000 square-foot store opens on July 30.

Building is under way for a new restaurant that will house Taco Time, which is now located next door.

When Taco Time vacates its current digs, the old restaurant will be remodeled to become a Starbucks.

The 2,400-square-foot Taco Time will feature the company’s latest Southwestern design, said Jeremy Carroll, project manager for Shea Graham Construction Inc.

Shea Graham Construction, the contractor for all three projects, is working for S.E. Grainger Development Group LLC, the Bellevue-based property owner.

“It’s exciting. It’s not often that you get to build multiple buildings on one site,” Carroll said.

After Omni Management, owner of the Taco Time, moves next door, the old restaurant will be renovated into a Starbucks that will look slightly different that the typical minimall shops.

“They’ll just be using the shell. You’re going to be able to tell it was the old Taco Time,” Carroll explained.

Workers will build an entry tower and replace the roof. The interior will be gutted and another company will handle the interior renovations, which will re-create Starbucks’ decor.

Carroll expects the Starbucks to be finished around October.

New restaurant to serve Vietnamese favorites

A Vietnamese couple is opening a restaurant that will serve pho noodle soups and other recipes from their native country.

“It’s (pho or beef noodle soup) very different from the ordinary soup. It’s very delicious,” said Nhi Nguyen, who owns Pho Saigon with her husband, Huynh Bui.

The couple are finishing their remodeling project, which added homey touches such as walls trimmed with stenciled grapes, and hope to have it open by mid-July.

The restaurant seats about 50 people and is located at 12012 E. Sprague Ave., Suite 1.

Nguyen’s parents own a successful restaurant on the island of Vungtau, near Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam.

She and her husband immigrated to the United States in 1981 and recently returned to Vietnam for a visit. During the trip to her homeland, Nguyen picked up some tips on operating a restaurant from her mom and dad.

The menu will initially offer seven types of pho noodle soup, including meatball and brisket, and other Asian favorites, such as egg rolls and teriyaki dishes.

Entrees will cost from $4.50 to $6.50. In the future, Nguyen plans to expand the menu.

The couple said they hope to build a loyal clientele by focusing on serving good, affordable dishes in a friendly environment.

Pho Saigon will be open Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

For more information, call 928-9112.