We collaborated closely with our clients to create The Must, a two-story 4,100 sf neighborhood restaurant and wine bar located on the site of an old printing factory. One of our chief goals was to create a connection to the community by opening the façade to create an inviting indoor/outdoor bar and cozy dining room. We also inserted a subterranean wine cellar.

We converted the existing space from retail and storage to a restaurant and bar. We also engaged a land-use consultant to obtain a conditional use permit allowing the sale and dispensing of a full line of alcoholic beverages for on-site consumption in tandem with the operation of the restaurant.

For the indoor/outdoor areas, we designed a series of movable partitions inspired by a European train station. We extended the bar through the dining room and into the patio, allowing guests to sit inside or out. When the panels are in the open position, the dining room is completely open to the patio, letting abundant natural light into the dining room and allowing for additional seating configurations.

We worked with a food service consultant to design the kitchen and bar spaces, and created a new stair and elevator to access the bathrooms, wine lockers, dry storage, cold storage, keg room and, in the basement, the private tasting room.

Material Used :

1. Tom Dixon Lighting - Beat Light Pendant
2. Schoolhouse Electric – Martin Wall Sconce 
3. Tokistar – Lightstrings – Festoon Lights
4. Abeco – Beer Tap
5. Westside Doors – Wooden Folding Storefront Door Panels
6. Nights of Neon –Double Sided Neon Sign