Our clients approached us to help them completely re-think their current tired restaurant concept. The location in a Scarborough strip mall was nondescript and the interior was dated, resulting in poor sales. We all knew what was needed; a totally new theme, a name change and a dramatic renovation! The goal was to create a casual and fun eatery with a strong bar presence. With such a large space we wanted to add enough division to give it a cozy dining experience, but open enough to make it all feel connected. In the evening hours, it was hoped that Tommy Cooks would become a local hot spot. The challenge of being viewed as a restaurant and as a nightclub required a crossover decor theme. We developed a modern Canadiana look mixed with a strong food oriented theme to reinforce the Tommy Cooks name. We added "Cool Bar and Hot Grill" to the name and that became the direction for decor, menu planning, graphics, exterior storefront and staff development. The existing column grid was used as the inspiration for dividing the space into themed areas. The columns were beefed up with large moldings and we added a beam system to bring down the extensive ceiling height. Upholstered booths were used to further divide and create traffic routes. One area features a wood burning pizza oven and wine bar. Another area has a large prairie stone fireplace and club chair seating. Other areas have different furniture styles and colour palettes which make them flexible for large parties. The new meandering bar and lounge is now lively during the day and rocking at night. It is also the renovated storefront that gives a whole new dimension to the Tommy Cooks theme. Instead of looking like a strip mall, the restaurant now feels like a free-standing building with a signage tower, striped awnings, permanent patio enclosure and a series of hinged doors and windows built in. The large increase in sales in the first year are the results of a successful concept design and renovation. "We didn't know where to start … The team at Pace gave us the visuals and the confidence we needed. We love the results - it's been a great success." Irene Kay Tommy Cooks Restaurant, Toronto