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Community Over Competition – A Shout-out to Our Clients and Community

Now more than ever we recognize the importance of small businesses in our community. We wanted to highlight some of the work we’ve done within our great community, and also share what some of our past clients have been up to. These last few months have been hard on small businesses and we wanted to give a shout-out to our friends at these great locations! 

Headquarters Restaurant and Bar – We were happy to work with Headquarters on the interior design and construction of their new restaurant and bar. We completely overhauled this 6000+ square foot space, stripping the building down to bare bones and removing 30 tonnes of rubble! From custom furniture and millwork to plumbing and paint, we helped this team realize their vision. Rivet partnered with local vendors, including E2 Signs and Designs and YEG Woodworks to add character and truly brand the newly renovated restaurant. 

We also incorporated some elements from the clients’ previously owned restaurant —we love the personal touches, and the comfortable vibe of this space. 

Headquarters is open for business! They are following the government’s guidelines for dine-in with 50% capacity allowed in the restaurant, bar and patio. Their takeout menu is in full force and they are offering daily soups to go. Summer is almost here and we’re excited to hit the patio for a tasty beverage and some great eats!

La Patrona Restaurant – If you’ve been in this local Mexican restaurant, you know the first thing you notice is the lively and bright decor! The next, of course, is the delicious food (Nicole recommends the Flautas or the Al Pastor tacos!) In this restaurant, we did a small and quick facelift (design and construction), updating the floors, paint, bench seating, lighting and some wall feature panels. Our collective goal was to help with ambiance and increase their seating capacity with the new layout. 

La Patrona excitedly announced their reopening on May 26 with dine-in now open to the public. They are taking walk-ins and reservations (up to 6 people) and have the patio open when the sun is shining! Though they can’t offer deliveries at this time, they do have take-out! La Patrona encourages you to bring your smiling face in and say hello, where they can serve you with a freshly shaken margarita! 

Emerald Hills Eye Care – “Cozy, welcoming – not your typical doctor’s office” That’s what Dr. Jonathan Akle, Owner and Optometrist at Emerald Hills Eye Care says of his space — and we agree! Rivet handled the complete design and construction of this business in a brand new tenant space. We did the full build-out including custom cabinetry, window displays and more. 

The clinic reopened to the public last month under the guidance of the Alberta government. Emerald Hills Eye Care is taking appointments; now that you have some down time, why not get your eyes checked? They have new protocols in place to keep you safe so there’s no need to put off your eye exam any longer. It’s as easy as booking with their online appointment system. They have some great new products and treatments for dry, itchy eyes (allergy season, anyone?) and some great new glasses available. Check out social media for more info.

Granada Veterinary Clinic – Not all pets love to visit the vet, but Granada Vet tries to make this experience as comfortable as possible — for both pets and their owners! That’s why Rivet helped them adjust the layout of the whole front section of the clinic. Completed in stages while Granada Vet remained open, we changed the entry door and flow of traffic through the space to optimize function. We increased their retail area, created a new reception and gave all the exam rooms a facelift with new paint, ceilings, floors and cabinetry. Now the space is a little more roomy for everyone! 

Granada Vet is open to the public with new protocols in place to best ensure the safety of you, your pet and their staff. Visit their Facebook page for details on their admittance process at this time.

Granada Vet is also offering pet food and supplies delivered right to your door with the recent launch of their online store! Follow the link to register and shop! 

Supporting Each Other

This is by no means an exhaustive list of our amazing clientele. We have worked with so many other great local businesses that we will continue to support through these trying times, and we hope you will do the same! What are some of your favourites around Sherwood Park or the Edmonton area? Let us know on social! 

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It’s Not Just About the Food! How Instagram Is Changing the Restaurant Game

It's Not Just About the Food! How Instagram is Changing the Restaurant Game

Headquarters Restaurant + Bar in Sherwood Park, Alberta

Looking for a new go-to spot for after work cocktails? Want to try out the latest Sunday brunch restaurant? How about a spot for a well-deserved night out? Where we would once head to google to do our detective work, we now find ourselves heading straight to our favourite app, Instagram, to see what local restaurants we should add to our must-try list!

According to an article by The Independent UK, 18-35 year-olds spend 5 whole days a year browsing food images on Instagram, and 30% would avoid a restaurant if their Instagram presence was weak. Not only can a strong presence be beneficial to your business, but not having one can be equally as damaging!

In a time where people are sharing their opinions (and lives) online, it’s key to have a space that inspires people to spread the word! Good lighting, fun colours & wallpaper, clever neon signs & custom tile are just some of the factors that make a space “instagrammable”.

Ask yourself– Does your backdrop entice people to raise a glass and share a boomerang? Does the lighting make our space look bright and airy? What part of your space creates a lasting impression? Would this cheeky sign inspire people to take a photo in front of it? Is your bathroom mirror-selfie ready? (let’s dive into this another time – stay tuned) We kept this in mind when we transformed Headquarters Restaurant & Bar in Sherwood Park. The vision of this space was to cater to existing clientele while attracting a new dinner crowd within the community. We partnered with local vendors, including E2 Designs and YEG Woodworks to add character and truly brand the newly renovated restaurant. Read more about this remodel on our website

We work with businesses to increase profits by creating a purposefully branded, unique and memorable environment. You need a team that has the know-how, connections and expertise to stand out from the crowd. That is why Savvy-owners, who also crave peace of mind, retain Rivet to lead their projects. You know they’ll talk about the food – let’s make sure they’re talking about the space and the experience, too!

Rivet Management knows how to create the restaurant of your dreams while ensuring style and functionality are top priority. 

Contact us today at [email protected] or (780) 243- 5115 to get started on your next project!

 

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Tips for Getting Started With Your Commercial Renovation

Tips for Getting Started with Your Commercial Renovation

Are you a business owner looking at opening or renovating a commercial space? Congratulations! This is a significant milestone for your business. While having a space to call your own is an exciting step, it’s not without challenges.

When it comes to commercial projects, it’s all hands on deck. From obtaining necessary permits to managing your design to the actual build-out of your space, there’s a lot going on and it can be an overwhelming process, especially when you have a business to run!

Here’s a few of our top tips for getting started with your commercial project…

Know Your Team

When construction begins, it is essential to know who your point person is. We cannot emphasize enough how important this is. Identifying and assigning your key roles in the project ensures that everyone is held responsible and accountable. Ensure this is clearly laid out from day one.

Some key questions to consider are:

  • Who will be handling all the details with the contractor and/ or designer? Will it be me, the business owner, or someone else?  Who will be handling other portions of the work – setting up new utilities, moving coordination, etc.

  • Who is my designer and what is their role?  Do you have any key suppliers for equipment already?  How will the flow of information flow between supplier and designer?

  • Who is the general contractor? How well do these roles interact?  Does your designer and contractor work well together? Who will be responsible for upcoming issues?

  • Do I need additional support to complete this project?

Know That Your Schedule and Your Budget Can Change

While it’s important to have a construction schedule and budget determined prior to the work beginning, it is always critical to have contingency plans in place. Unfortunately, not everything is always on the timeline or budget that you have planned for.

As a business owner, you should always budget more time than you think you need especially when it comes to design, permit applications and the build-out phase. Every project and every space is unique.  There are also a lot of areas out of your teams control such as permit application times or inspection turnarounds.

The more prepared you are in order to answer design queries, equipment or furniture decisions etc the quicker that part of the process will go.  

Know Your Ideal Customer

Read any marketing textbook and you’ll know that your customer is not anyone and everyone. Your target customer needs to be kept in mind when designing your commercial space. It’s important to view your design in the eyes of your customer, their expectations and their preferences. Think of unique ways that you can add value and ensure their experience at your business is memorable.

For more ideas on how to build your brand with commercial design, download Rivet Management’s FREE guide.

Know Your Financing

Before getting started on your commercial project, it’s imperative that your financing is set-up and ready to access. It’s important to be aware of how and when your bank or landlord will issue funds and let your contractor know the required submittals your financier requires upfront.

For example, some landlords require the construction to be complete and completely paid prior to issuing any reimbursement funds. Many business owners are caught by surprise when they realize they have to build and pay, prior before receiving reimbursement for their work.

Ensure you understand the financing process prior to beginning your construction.

At Rivet Management, we believe in creating a seamless experience for our clients by offering full-service design and construction management services from one company and contact. We take care of it all for you and eliminate the guesswork of determining who is responsible for what aspect of your project or eliminating your need to liaise with multiple contacts. Leave your space in the hands of our capable, experienced team and we’ll ensure the execution of your project is flawless from all angles.