Alma Mater Tacoma 1322 S Fawcett Ave Tacoma, WA 98402 Media Contact: Jihee Shin | jihee@almamatertacoma.com JULY 28, 2020 MEET YOU AT THE PATIO: ALMA MATER TACOMA LAUNCHES SOCIALLY-DISTANCED FOOD AND DRINK Artists from left to right: Gerardo Pena, Caroleena Santisebastian, LeShawn Gamble, Adika Bell, Saiyare Refaei Tacoma, WA — While restaurants and venues across Washington state are navigating ways to reopen during Phase 2, Alma Mater Tacoma is opening its doors with an entirely new entity: The Patio. This socially-distanced outdoor dining space will be open to the public Wednesday through Sunday, 9am to 8pm after the grand opening on July 29th. While bringing a morning and evening menu back to Alma Mater is certainly something to celebrate, maintaining safety for employees and guests is the top priority for Alma Mater in this reopening process. Upon announcing the official opening of the Patio, Alma Mater released the following house rules: - Masks are required upon entry - Temperature screenings for all employees and guests must read below 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit based on CDC recommendations - No table service provided at this time; all orders must be placed at the bar counter - Limit of 5 people per table - Maintain 6+ feet distance between other guests The decision to reopen and create house guidelines were established collectively after weeks of discussion and planning, prioritizing feedback and concerns from employees. Alma Mater Interim Director Lisa Fruchantie saw the spacious outdoor courtyard as an opportunity to not only support the dedicated Alma Mater staff, but to support Tacoma artists as well during the reopening process. Fruchantie commissioned community artist Gerardo Pena to facilitate the Patio wall mural project, gathering a handful of Tacoma artists and muralists to bring their artistic style and vision to each letter of the Patio. “Here at Alma Mater, we’ve always been first and foremost a group of people who are incredibly passionate about supporting and presenting the arts,” Alma Mater announced in their social media post for the new mural. “...Beyond taking every precaution we can to ensure the safety of our staff and patrons, we wanted to bring a pop of visual art to our courtyard.” The since-closed Fawcett Hall live concert venue will remain available to the Tacoma Mutual Aid Collective as it has the past few months. While TMAC is still in the process of revising their operations schedule, Alma Mater will continue to hold space for supplies and resources for community members throughout the reopening process. Through Phase 2 and beyond, Alma Mater continues to uplift and serve the community we share here in Tacoma. Visit almamatertacoma.com/the-patio for more information on hours, menus, and FAQ.