An established restaurant in Stratford, known as Keystone Alley, which had been in business for a number of years.
Popular with both locals and patrons of the theatre, it has a casual atmosphere for both lunch and dinner and is a definite staple in the Stratford restaurant scene.
The main issue with this space was the layout of the restaurant along with the dated decor. The owners wanted to rebrand the restaurant as “The Alley” with the intent to advertise the space as a cocktail bar serving artisan cocktails, house made beer, along with creative and delicious food.
The layout had a very small four seater bar at the back of the restaurant along with a disorganized entry and confusing wayfinding. Limitations included two structural posts in the middle of the restaurant, previously built-in banquette seating, and a limited budget.
The goal was to update the space to attract new clientele without excluding the loyal patrons that have frequented the restaurant over the years.
It was important that the new concept for the restaurant was something fun but also different, especially in a town where the restaurant industry is so saturated with multiple restaurants.Artisan cocktails and beer paired with creative food brought about thoughts of an easy going but classy atmosphere. The perfect theme was Art Deco which could be created with the use of warm lighting, patterns, shiny surfaces and deep colours.
The bar was relocated to the front of the restaurant in a “U” shape. This was to create a focal point when one entered, create easy walking flow through the space, as well as ensure the customer knows that the focus of this restaurant is cocktails and beer. The two structural posts were incorporated as design elements in the bar, while a new closet space was added at the front of the restaurant in place of the old host station to create organization and storage.
The walls were painted a warm blush colour while deeper colours of mauve, green and blue were incorporated in the bar front and fabric surfaces. The use of mirrors and glazed tile help create depth, while reflecting light to give a feel of warmth and dimension.The result is a space that easily transitions between day and night while standing out uniquely amongst the other restaurants in town. This project was completed in 2020.
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