Soon there will be a new hot spot in town!
We’re excited to announce we will again be working with the owners of The Ravenous Pig on their new restaurant, Cask & Larder.
Cask & Larder, a Southern public house, is set to open this summer in downtown Winter Park. Cask represents the specialty homemade brews that will be a staple at the restaurant. Larder is a name for a southern pantry. Our task is to transform the old Harper’s Tavern Building into an original, southern-inspired restaurant and brewery.
For this design we are pulling inspiration from some of the owners’ favorite eateries in Charleston and Atlanta. We will also be using the original integrity of the building to play into our design.
We are thrilled and honored to be working with The Ravenous Pig team again on what’s sure to be the next iconic Winter Park restaurant. Stay tuned for more details!
As a business owner, are you looking for quick fixes to spruce up your place of business? Here’s a great article on how small touches can really make a big impact with your clients and customers – everything from the proper lighting to little touches of nature, like plants!
Photo courtesy of Swipely Works
We all can use a little help to make the spaces that our customers see feel fresh and revived. Read on for more ideas….
http://bit.ly/pkuM9b
Every small business owner knows that presentation is everything. It’s not only how you come across to a potential client, how affordable your printing service is compared to a multinational chain’s prices, how your food tastes, or that your customer service easily beats out the competition.
Your success as a small business also has to do with how appealing the inside of your office looks. First impressions are important, and when it comes to your business, you can’t afford not to make your interior design look its very best.
Want to improve your office space, restaurant or café? Then read these helpful tips to make the most of what you have and as a result, improve your clientele, fan base, customer loyalty and profit!
As we are nearing the end of the first week of 2012, I thought this would be a good topic to share. I am proud that everyone in my office has become a lover of yoga and I know that we have all learned many things from our practice. Our work weeks can provide us with so much joy and accomplishment, but for most, it also adds stress. Yoga is a beautiful way for both men and women to become more centered in our minds (as well as our bodies), and offers the ability to cope with and react to many situations. Read on to learn more, and remember, “The key to keeping your balance is knowing when you’ve lost it.” – Anonymous
Photo courtesy of The Verve 360
http://bit.ly/yZERFy
Running a business is not easy. As small business owners all over the world know there is always something that demands your attention. From clients’ quarreling to capital allocation to the endless need to reconcile the bank statement, work can easily take over your life, create emotional havoc and leave you feeling stressed, tired and worn out.
For women entering the business world there is no benefit to indulging an opulent display of emotions or any stereotypical feminine behavior. Instead the best avenue for success is through a calm display of power, grace and ease through good times and bad.
We’ve all heard the saying, “Less is More”, and one company in Trenton, NJ has proven just that. TerraCycle, a recycling company, needed to address their internal growth and expansion needs, and moved into a 20,000 square feet converted warehouse facility now housing 100 employees.
Photo courtesy of The New York Times
Instead of investing tons of cash, they used all recycled materials – everything from old records and donated high school art for décor, to re-used carpet samples and rejected color mixes from paint stores on the walls. The end result was a space that everyone at the company was proud of and that really spoke to their mission.
http://nyti.ms/olcjPA
We recently moved into our newly redesigned offices and in the process managed to strike an interesting balance. Our goal was to embrace our growth from a basement start-up to a proper business with real revenue and an employee manual while still preserving what we think is special about our culture: excitement and out-of-the-box thinking.
See more of the redesign here: http://nyti.ms/rBOJlR
Photo Courtesy of QSR
At Schmidt Design Studio we pride ourselves in following latest trends in the industry, making sure that we can meet the needs of the client and discussing issues that are of major importance. Two major sectors that we hear many of our clients mentioning is how they can appeal to particular demographics, and how we can help incorporate those needs into our restaurant designs. Two major topics this year, especially with our quick serve clients, has been appealing to both budget conscious moms and Millenials – young women and men who were born in the 80’s and 90’s. Read more on this topic which features great ideas of how to appeal to these sectors.
http://bit.ly/rra9uN
Over the past year and a half that I’ve been writing this column, I’ve hammered home how companies that try to be everything to everyone end up being nothing to no one.
Focus has been my main message, as I’ve extolled the benefits of a “less is more” approach.
I thought I’d drop down from that 30,000-foot level this month and recommend ways to build strong brand relationships with some specific target markets. I’ve picked two market segments that are particularly valuable to most quick serves: Millennials and moms.
For our restaurant readers, here’s an excellent article on ten great ways to build business. This features everything from social media to curb appeal, and menu improvements to creating open kitchen concepts. Of course creating an appealing environment is on the top of our list here at Schmidt Design Studio, and it’s also included as a selling point in the article. Read on to discover the many great ideas to push those sales and keep customers coming back for more.
Schmidt Design Studio created an open kitchen and appealing environment for the new First Watch design concept.
http://bit.ly/t82CzV
The stock market keeps declining, unemployment remains stubbornly high and talks of a double-dip recession continue to permeate. Looking at consumer trends, many say they want to spend less, save more and have become more fearful of the economic environment and their jobs.
What’s a restaurateur to do? Ignore it.
In this special report — found in-depth in the Sept. 26 issue of Nation’s Restaurant News and previewed here — you’ll find 10 ways to drive business from within your four walls.
Phot Courtesy of Inc.com
In our business, we know how much our clients go through when planning to open or renovate a restaurant; however, we typically find that ‘seasoned’ restaurateurs know the drill much more so than their start-up counterparts do initially. This article offers a great guide for those interested in just how much actual costs can be. While the article is helpful, it unfortunately fails to mention fees additionally associated with a general contractor, architects, interior design, and additional trades! It’s still a good map though……read on to learn more.
http://www.inc.com/articles/201111/business-start-up-costs-restaurant.html?nav=pop
During his teens and 20s, John Kunkel worked in restaurants, learning the ropes of the service industry from the front-of-the-house. He also picked up on myriad intricacies of the business side of running a restaurant. By the time he was 29, Kunkel says he was ready to go out on his own.
“I was beating down every door for traditional financing, and then took out equity on my home, maxed out my credit cards, and was borrowing $500 from everyone who said ‘hello’ to me,” says Kunkel, whose first venture was a bakery on South Beach in Miami.”
Food service operators across the country are gearing up for 2012. Here’s a review of the top 7 Restaurant Trends for the year ahead. Many of our clients have shared these concerns with us this year, specifically keeping menus interesting for guests while closely watching food costs, as well as offering perks to diners. As always, keeping the environment of the restaurant stimulating will be key, but 
seeking locations of smaller square footage for maximum flexibility plays a large role as well. Read on to find out more…..
http://www.foodproductdesign.com/news/2011/11/7-restaurant-trends-for-2012.aspx
CHICAGO—Over the past few years, the U.S. foodservice sector has taken a hit by a turbulent economy that forced many consumers to scale back their restaurant visits. As we look ahead to 2012, Technomic has identified seven distinct restaurant trends predicted to shape the U.S. foodservice sector next year.
Who’s the top chef in the Orlando area? Thornton Park, College Park and Winter Park’s best are throwing down this Sunday in the third annual Battle of the Parks. 
It’s sure to be a heated battle between the chef’s from Hue Restaurant, The Ravenous Pig and K Restaurant and Wine Bar when they team up with a sommelier to present the best food and wine pairing. Each team will have just 40 minutes to transform a secret ingredient into a delicious entrée for a panel of celebrity judges. This competition will decide who’s “park” reigns supreme.
But who will help host this hungry crowd? Non-other than our very own Anna! She was chosen to be a celebrity co-host of Battle of the Parks, along with the Master of Ceremonies, Scott Joseph, restaurant critic of Orlando. Having worked with both K Restaurant and Ravenous Pig for interior design we know the amazing food they can create.
If you’d like to come out to see this event and say hi to our team you can buy tickets at www.battleoftheparks.com. Proceeds benefit American Cancer Society – Central Florida Chapter, Hope and Help, and Animal Safe House Brevard County.
We would love to see you out! Watch our Facebook and Twitter-@SchmidtDesign for photos from the event.
Daytime dining doesn’t have to be boring! We set out to prove that with our “Connect” 
concept for First Watch restaurant. This concept provides daytime diners with modern décor that’s sure to start their day off right.
The new design “connects” traditional First Watch design elements with contemporary elements by enhancing the natural light provided during the restaurant’s daytime hours, and selecting color tones that reflect the warm and inviting personality of the First Watch brand. The design also emphasizes an open-kitchen concept, which reinforces First Watch’s honest approach to fresh food preparation.
First Watch customers can now experience a total dining experience which includes 
upholsteries in vibrant patterns, contemporary millwork and custom carpet made specifically for the First Watch brand, as well as beautiful faux-wood plank flooring. We loved that the architectural drop ceiling provides visual layers and lighting details that give a soft glowing effect throughout the dining room. Even the “Daily Specials” chalkboard received a modern makeover. We also brought in a crisp new art package to add a touch of whimsy and artistic expression. We hand-picked each picture based on its color pallet and cuisine motif.
I love that this concept emphasized all the comfort and warmth of a daytime café while 
adding a touch of modern edge. The down-home feel of First Watch that customers have grown to love still remains, and it was great for us to be able to stay true to fans of a truly beloved company.
Check out our pictures of the finished First Watch on our gallery. For more information and news on Schmidt Design Studio follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
