Koko’s Lounge opens, Waterstreet Cafe closes for 2 weeks and Scotty B’s calls it quits
Business partners Gibran Moreno, Alex Torres and Vanessa Valentina Vazquez have opened Koko’s Lounge, a new Olympia destination for those 21 and older looking for Latin cuisine and a cocktail.
This is Moreno’s third business: He started and sold a business in Aberdeen, then opened Koko’s Restaurant in the resort community of Seabrook on the Washington coast.
Now he and his partners have their sights on opening a place in Seattle, he said, but first they will start in Olympia, followed by possibly Tacoma.
Koko’s can be found downtown at 325 Fourth Ave. E. Right now the business is serving a mix of Mexican and Salvadoran food, although eventually they want to offer monthly dishes from each country in South America, Moreno said.
He said diners can expect “meals just like grandma made them, with fresh, homemade ingredients.” The same goes for the margaritas, Moreno said.
He said Koko’s is suitable for a business meeting, a birthday party or a late-night gathering. “We go for the full experience,” he said.
Koko’s is open 4 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays and 4 to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.
“We are planning to open Sundays, but down the road,” Moreno said.
Other business happenings
Waterstreet Cafe in downtown Olympia has closed for the remainder of July, according to its website.
“Due to the rapid changes in requirements and operational processes due to the coronavirus, we have decided to close our doors for the remainder of the month of July in order to rethink our service model and our plan for moving forward,” the website reads.
A call to the cafe was not returned.
Scotty B’s, the 50s-themed diner in Tenino, closed this month, the owner announced on Facebook.
“I am filled with sorrow and sadness,” owner Scott Hineline said in his post. “You all have become a second family. I may be closing the doors in Tenino, but in no way am I closing my heart to this sweet, life-filled town.”
