Under-the-radar Tacoma restaurant has ‘ton of potential,’ new owners say
West 122, a 2-year-old restaurant in downtown Tacoma with satisfying bistro fare, Pacific Northwest wine and commendable cocktails, has new owners.
Kennon and Kenzie Maurer, the young couple behind Ebony and Ivory Coffee, bought the restaurant from founders Keri and Patrick Sherman this summer. The deal had been in the works since the spring: The Maurers formed an LLC in April, a liquor license was approved July 17, and they shared the news on social media last week.
The Shermans, who opened West 122 in 2023 at 728 Pacific Ave., own North 47 Brewing Co. in Browns Point. They did not respond to a request for comment on the sale.
Joaquin “Keno” Buttner, executive chef at West 122 from Day 1, told The News Tribune in June that he would continue in his role. His menus have focused on “whimsical throwbacks,” as he described dishes such as a crisp-skinned airline chicken breast with creamy whipped potatoes, a Duroc pork chop in demi-glace, and calamari fried with banana peppers. Handmade pasta and a signature square of salmon tartare served with house potato chips also set the tone, supported by solid service.
Bar manager David Bocanegra, who leads a classic-leaning cocktail menu that has been consistently well executed, will also stick around.
Changes so far have been minimal, outside of a more active social media presence. The restaurant had been operating just Wednesday to Saturday for dinner but has added Tuesdays.
In a phone call this week, Kennon Maurer told The News Tribune that he and Kenzie “have a much more youthful approach” to managing a small business, and they see “a lot of opportunity to kind of switch things up a little bit.”
The couple joined the Tacoma hospitality scene in 2023 with their Ebony and Ivory Coffee, a vast cafe and wine bar that doubles as an event space on the ground floor of the renovated Tacoma Centre. They introduced their first coffee shop in Lacey in 2021 — when Kennon was just 21 and Kenzie 20 — expanding to Federal Way the following year, The Federal Way Mirror reported.
In their Instagram and Facebook posts, they admitted that buying a restaurant was not necessarily part of the plan.
“We were just looking for a place to make food for all of our Ebony & Ivory locations. And honestly, we realized it would just be cheaper to buy an existing restaurant than to build out a new kitchen. Then we found West 122!” they wrote. “We really saw something special here, a solid team, a beautiful space, and A TON of potential.”
Now with three cafes, Kennon Maurer elaborated in an interview this week, their biggest expense has become not rent or labor but food. They purchase sandwiches, pastries and more mostly wholesale, but some they can only find at retail cost. The way to trim that fat, so to speak, is to bring production in-house.
Their cafes in Thurston and King counties allow for some food prep on site, but the Tacoma shop does not under Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department guidelines. So they started searching for a kitchen, or a space to build one.
In considering the purchase, they visited West 122 several times, getting a feel for the staff, the food and the drink. Those experiences tipped them into new territory: They would buy the restaurant for the kitchen and keep the restaurant going.
“There’s two words and it’s ‘approachable excellence,’” said Kennon of their vision, building off a strong foundation. “I think what we are hoping to do is really be a very approachable fine-dining restaurant.”
Ownership shuffles at downtown restaurants
The downtown core has seen other turnover since 2020, alongside prolonged cases of empty storefronts.
Across the street from West 122, Amor Wine and Tapas closed in June after just two years. The owner pointed to low sales and seasonal slowdowns. Meanwhile, the always bustling Wooden City will move to a much larger location on Broadway and 11th, anticipated by early 2026 although late this year is possible. That ownership trio plans to introduce a casual new concept at 714 Pacific Ave.
A few other restaurants and bars have changed hands just within the past 18 months, including Odd Otter Brewing on Pac Ave, en Rama and Not Bad (formerly Outpost Sandwiches) at Court House Square, Over the Moon in Opera Alley and The Camp Bar on Tacoma Avenue. Homegrown comedian Nate Jackson also relocated his comedy club to the Courtyard Tacoma Downtown Marriott in February. Stink Meat and Cheese closed on St. Helens Ave., but its replacement, The Blue Rose, was short-lived; Stink has since reopened inside the office tower at 909 A Street.
The situation has been less rosy in the University of Washington Tacoma stretch, where units that once housed the likes of Hello, Cupcake, Sam Choy’s Poke to the Max, Grit City Greens and Senergo juice bar remain unoccupied.
Several brands have tempted fate at the West 122 storefront at 728 Pacific Ave. over the years, including the short-lived Little Radio, The Fern Room and Tacoma Cabana. The Shermans had anticipated building out a more casual taproom-style bar in the adjoining space, which also has a mezzanine, but it never materialized.
The Maurers see West 122 as integral to a sea-change in downtown Tacoma.
“We want to be ahead of whatever might be happening,” said Kennon on Wednesday.
As they figure out the details of producing food for Ebony and Ivory, West 122 will proceed with its “European-style plates, PNW ingredients” mantra. In addition to the aforementioned specialties, the menu features memorable crispy Brussels sprouts and green salads, peppercorn-crusted steak, grilled octopus and apple fritter bread pudding. Find deals at “golden hour,” 3-6 p.m., including $1 off beer and wine, plus deals on select cocktails.
West 122
- 728 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253-327-1570, west122.com
- Tuesday-Thursday 3-9 p.m., Friday-Saturday 3-10 p.m.
- Details: new owners of downtown Tacoma restaurant focused on European-PNW fare, plus wine and cocktails; follow instagram.com/west122tacoma for updates
This story was originally published August 7, 2025 at 5:15 AM.