"The City of University Place owns the building and had envisioned a restaurant as an ideal fit for the space." That was how The News Tribune summed up the view of Kevin Briske, the city's community and economic development director, last November. He was talking about the lobby next to the Pierce County library branch at 3609 Market Place West. That lobby is now Salted Rim Bar & Kitchen.
Briske went on to say that Salted Rim, Beirut Bites and the plaza's other newer tenants support "our ongoing efforts to strengthen the center as a vibrant destination." Oktoberfest comes back to Market Square on Friday, Oct. 9, from 4:30 to 9 p.m. Salted Rim opened Oct. 29, 2025, so this year the city's own plaza has a full-service bar and kitchen that stays open after the festival shuts down.
What the City Paid For
Most restaurants in a shopping center get there through a private landlord. Salted Rim got there through City Hall. Owners Malaty Lim and Rik Filion worked on the space with friends. According to The News Tribune, they had been talking with the city since at least spring 2024, and the City Council approved their lease that May.
Then the city paid for what turns a lobby into a working kitchen. Communications manager Linda Seesz told the paper the city spent $158,000 on tenant improvements, a little under its original $160,000 estimate. That money covered:
- A grease interceptor
- Hood ducting
- Gas submeters that keep the restaurant's utility use separate from city operations
- A railing around the outdoor seating area
- An exterior door
- Signage infrastructure
Seesz said the work was meant to create "a functional and code-compliant foodservice space that could support long-term leasing." With rent at about $4,700 a month, the city expects to earn back the investment in "just under three years." The numbers check out. $158,000 divided by $4,700 comes to about 34 months. At that rent, it takes roughly 34 months of payments to cover the improvements.
For anyone who uses Market Square, the takeaway is simple. The outdoor seating railing and the exterior door are public investments. The city decided the plaza next to its Civic Building should have somewhere to eat and drink, and it paid for the plumbing to make that happen.
Who's on the Plaza Now
Salted Rim opened on Oct. 29, 2025, and was a newcomer to a plaza that was already changing. The same News Tribune story says Beirut Bites took over from another Mediterranean restaurant that fall. Another business opened just last month. Scenthound, a dog hygiene and grooming chain, opened Sept. 18 at 3556 Market Place W., Suite 106.
Here's how the plaza's newer tenants line up against an Oktoberfest Friday:
| Business | Address | What it is | Friday hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Happy Duo Cafe | 3609 Market Place W., Suite 101 | Coffee, matcha, pastries, cinnamon rolls | 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. |
| Beirut Bites | 3555 Market Place W., Suite 6 | Family-owned Lebanese: mezze, falafel, shawarma, grilled meats | 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. |
| Salted Rim Bar & Kitchen | 3609 Market Place W., Suite 102 | Bar classics and Asian-inspired plates, signature cocktails | 3 p.m. to midnight |
| Scenthound | 3556 Market Place W., Suite 106 | Dog grooming and hygiene by appointment | Book through Scenthound |
The Friday hours tell the story. Happy Duo closes about an hour after Oktoberfest starts. Beirut Bites closes when the festival does. Salted Rim keeps going for three more hours after that.
Salted Rim's current hours on its website are Wednesday and Thursday 3 to 11 p.m., Friday and Saturday 3 p.m. to midnight, and Sunday 3 to 10 p.m. It's closed Monday and Tuesday. Those hours are later on Sunday than the ones reported when it opened, so the website is the one to trust.
When Salted Rim opened, its posted menu had most dishes between $12.95 and $17.95. Options included Vietnamese-style wings, pork belly bao buns, chicken pad kra pow, a shrimp po'boy and verde chicken enchiladas. Desserts included banana bread pudding and an apple pie empanada with dulce de leche. The bar listed 30 signature cocktails organized by spirit, plus beer, wine and a couple of mocktails.
Scenthound is a daytime errand, not a night out, but it's part of the same trend of new businesses opening on the plaza. The News Tribune reported that the chain focuses on five areas: skin, coat, ears, nails and teeth. It sells monthly hygiene memberships. Its only other Washington location is in Lynnwood, and another is coming to Lacey.
Oktoberfest, Oct. 9
The city's event page lists live polka, a beer garden, kids' activities, strolling princesses, a stilt dancer and the South Sound Makers Market, which brings handmade goods from Northwest artisans.
Food trucks and vendors on the list:
- Boss Mama
- Brew Dog
- Corndoggery
- Starvin Marvin
- Tornado Potato
- Travelin' Toms
- Funnel of Love
- Tastyz Kettle Corn
- Honeycomb Raw Honey
America's Credit Union is the presenting sponsor. Window Nation, The Rigney University Place, Ezee Fiber, Global Credit Union and the Tacoma German Language School are also sponsoring.
Parking is free along Bridgeport Way and in the Civic Building Parking Garage. You can find the full details on the city's Oktoberfest event page.
Put the festival hours next to the plaza hours and you can plan the whole evening:
- Before 5:30 p.m. Happy Duo Cafe is still open for coffee or matcha while the polka band sets up.
- 4:30 to 9 p.m. Oktoberfest runs. The food trucks cover the main festival menu, and Beirut Bites is open the whole time if you'd rather get falafel or shawarma.
- After 9 p.m. The beer garden closes. Salted Rim, a few steps away in the same building as the library branch, serves until midnight.
From Oct. 9 to Dec. 4
Salted Rim turns one on Oct. 29, a Thursday, when it's open until 11 p.m. The city's lease math only works if the plaza stays busy on ordinary weeknights, not just the few Fridays a year with a festival.
The next big city event on the plaza is the Annual Christmas Tree Lighting on Friday, Dec. 4, at 4:30 p.m. The city lists music, food, kids' activities, Santa, activities in the Civic Building Atrium and outdoor performances. It says more details will come later. Like Oktoberfest, it falls on a Friday, so Salted Rim will be open until midnight that night too.
Between those two Fridays, the city hasn't announced a holiday market at Market Square. The South Sound Makers Market, which sets up at Oktoberfest, is holding its 34th Annual Homemade for the Holidays show on Nov. 6 and 7. That show is at the Thurston County Fairgrounds in Lacey, not in University Place. The University Place Farmers Market ended its 2026 season on Aug. 20 at OURCHURCH's lower lot on 67th Avenue West, so it won't be on the plaza this fall either.
That leaves about eight weeks when the plaza's restaurants are the only reason to go to Market Square after dark. This was the gap the city's $158,000 was meant to fill. Under the lease Seesz described, the city expects to recoup that money in just under three years, one month's rent at a time.
What opens on a block like Market Square, and who's paying for it, affects what nearby homes are worth. At Franklin Home Team, we follow University Place changes like these closely. If you'd like to know how your home measures up this fall, ask us what your home is worth and we'll put together a local estimate for you.
