Mr. Tendernism Is Finally The Owner of His Trademark Amid Destination Smokehouse Dispute
- Kalibuzz
- Mar 4
- 2 min read
Walter Johnson Secures Trademark for “Tendernism” After Viral Fallout
Less than 24 hours after announcing his plans to take “tendernism” worldwide, Walter Johnson has officially secured the trademark for the term many supporters believed belonged to him from the very beginning.
In a video posted to Instagram on Tuesday (March 4), Walter Johnson aka "Mr. Tendernism" appeared alongside Kenneth Harris, the man who had previously filed two trademark applications for “tendernism” back in November 2025. Harris had submitted the filings on what’s known as an intent-to-use (ITU) basis, meaning the trademark was reserved for potential future use but had not yet been actively used in commerce.
Because Harris had not lawfully used the mark in business, the situation eventually led to a meeting between him and Johnson. Following those discussions, Johnson was able to move forward with securing the trademark himself.
The development comes shortly after Johnson launched a GoFundMe campaign following his departure from Destination Smokehouse. The fundraiser quickly gained traction, bringing in more than $50,000 from supporters.
The GoFundMe page suggested that Johnson had been fired from the restaurant.
However, Destination Smokehouse owner Nick Yepremian later addressed those claims in a video posted on Instagram.
“Walter was never asked to leave,” Yepremian said. “The application to register the trademark for tendernism was not filed without his knowledge. Walter was an early source of inspiration for me, and Tendernism was not filed without his knowledge.”
Yepremian went on to speak positively about their relationship and shared history.
“Walter was an early source of inspiration for me and I’ve always been grateful for that,” he said. “We’ve shared so many genuine moments together, talking about barbecue and bonding over the craft that we both love. Those moments were filled with camaraderie and mutual respect.”
He added that he supports Johnson’s decision to pursue his own path.
“I’m proud of Walter for having the courage to go after his own dreams. It takes heart. I respect anyone who chooses to build something of their own, and I wish him nothing but the best.”
Back On January 20th, digital media commentator @WhoIsKalibur (Kalibur) reported on the alleged concerns the community were having with Walter Johnson's ownership of "Tendernism" which sparked hundreds of thousands of people to join in on the movement online.
With the trademark now secured, Johnson appears ready to move forward with expanding “tendernism” beyond the barbecue scene and into a larger brand.
We're thankful Unc @Officialmrtendernism was able to have a happy ending and a fresh start to his career! ❤ #CongratulationsUnc #SomebodyGottaDoIt
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