Three new restaurants are opening on the UW Tacoma campus along Pacific Avenue over the next few months that are expected to attract lots of students and downtown diners who crave pho, crepes or frozen yogurt.
Savor, a creperie in the European tradition, is set to open in March at 1916 Pacific Avenue on the street-front of William W. Philip Hall. It will feature both sweet and savory crepes — everything from ham and gruyere to berries and mascarpone — about 25 filling options in all to start. The space was formerly occupied by Meta Books.
Than Brothers Pho will open up in the Joy Building before summer, offering the Vietnamese noodle soup popular among students at campuses throughout the region. Started in 1996, this local chain has 14 locations around the Puget Sound, mostly in the Seattle area. This will be their third restaurant in the South Sound. Than Brothers offer a simple menu, serving nothing but pho in more than 15 varieties.
Also opening in the Joy Building before summer will be Granola’s, which bills itself as “not your typical self-serve yogurt shop.” In addition to frozen yogurt, they will offer a variety of cereals and oatmeal to get your day started right. You can mix and match any kind of snack or meal — and make it healthy or decadent — with their extensive toppings bar.
These new businesses are part of an overall retail strategy the university is developing to attract tenants that are a good fit for the neighborhood.
“This is a major gateway into downtown Tacoma and we want to encourage an active, vibrant and welcoming environment for both students and others who visit, work and live downtown,” says Harlan Patterson, vice chancellor for Finance and Administration.
As part of this strategy, UW Tacoma has been working with a retail consultant to identify ways to enhance retail areas on campus, particularly along Pacific Avenue. This includes new colorful awnings, more visible signage and better use of sidewalk areas. A proposal to implement these changes will go before Tacoma’s Landmarks Commission this spring for review.
With these new leases, UW Tacoma has only three vacant storefronts remaining along Pacific Avenue and there has been a lot of interest from potential tenants.
