Downtown Restaurant Gets New West Coast Owners

Downtown restaurant Rumcow, which focuses on southern cuisine, is now under new ownership. (Photo courtesy of Rumcow)

Rumcow Restaurant now has new owners. The downtown restaurant, at 121 Grace St., opened in 2018.  The restaurant’s founder, Joseph Sena, opted to sell the business in order to have more time with his family. Sena also founded and sold two other Grace Street businesses: Taco Baby and Whiskey Tango Foxtrot.
New owners Jennifer and Robert Becker and partner Erika Leyva plan to relocate from California to operate the new restaurant. The owners were eyeing the possibility of starting or buying a new restaurant when Rumcow came to their attention, according to a press release from MoMentum Companies, which helped broker the deal.
Rumcow’s chef and staff will remain in place with the new ownership.
“Rumcow has been not only our passion, but also a part of our family for years. For my partners and I, Rumcow is so much more than just a restaurant, it is a culture. We are proud of what we created,” Joseph Sena said in the release. “We are thankful for each one of our guests, the entirety of our rockstar staff and especially for all the love and support from our community.”
Sena said the new owners’ determination, passion and aptitude made the decision to sell easy. “As a good steward, realizing the time to move on is the biggest challenge,” he said. “We expect great things from them and feel confident passing on the torch.”
MoMementum Companies business broker Joan Loch said the restaurant’s vibe and trendy menu helped her fall in love with the space. The restaurant focuses on locally sourced ingredients with a global flair but a southern focus.
New owner Jennifer Becker said the new ownership team is excited to bring their experience and motivation to Wilmington. “It is an honor to continue the well-established name of Rumcow in Wilmington’s hospitality industry. Our attention to fine cuisine and dedicated servitude to customers has always been our passion,” she said in the release. “Taking the reins on Rumcow will allow us and the beloved staff to unleash the abundance of potential it possesses.”