Bringing The Good Times
Back To Lake Chatuge
Marina Station is a quantifiable success.
Serving up creative dishes and slinging cocktails from open to close, it is the place to be on Lake Chatuge.
Here’s a look at how it happened.
Before you can appreciate Marina Station’s current success, you must first know it’s troubled past. The property has been around for 15+ years. It has passed through the hands of several owners and gone by many names. The most successful being the Yacht Club and Blue Otter and the least successful and most recent, being The Lighthouse. Located on the shore of Lake Chatuge in Hiawassee, GA, the building has always offered gorgeous views of the Lake and Blue Ridge Mountains. But previous owners have struggled to create an atmosphere to compliment the setting.
Bringing The Good Times Back To Lake Chatuge
Marina Station is a quantifiable success. Serving up creative dishes and slinging cocktails from open to close, it is the place to be on Lake Chatuge.
Here’s a look at how it happened.
Before you can appreciate Marina Station’s current success, you must first know it’s troubled past. The property has been around for 15+ years. It has passed through the hands of several owners and gone by many names. The most successful being the Yacht Club and Blue Otter and the least successful and most recent, being The Lighthouse. Located on the shore of Lake Chatuge in Hiawassee, GA, the building has always offered gorgeous views of the Lake and Blue Ridge Mountains. But previous owners have struggled to create an atmosphere to compliment the setting.
Previous owners have encountered many different problems through the years, but the view has never been one.
Lake Chatuge’s surrounding counties have a population of 20,000+, and the demographic is unique. Full-time residents consist of lower-income rural mountain communities and retirees looking for value. During the “high season,” from May through October, wealthy vacation-homeowners flock to the area.
Many local businesses face a decision. Charge high prices and bank profits during the high-season–knowing slow months are to come. Or keep costs low to appease the locals and miss-out on the influx of wealth. We attempted to capture both, developing a concept that was polished enough to attract seasonal wealth but grounded enough not to alienate the local community. Success would rely on the belief–when people congregate in a comfortable atmosphere over great food and drink, social and economic status doesn’t matter.
Our mission was to create an open-air gastropub, offering a relaxed vibe, elevated casual fare, full bar service and live music at reasonable prices.
As a designer, I’m my own worst critic, but all fears were put to rest when the signs went up.
The name, Marina Station, was chosen knowing the restaurant would be the centerpiece of all surrounding lakefront activities provided by The Ridges Resort. The name quickly established a design direction. Service stations of the 1940s & 50s served as inspiration for the crisp white interior and exterior paint choice. The fresh white walls provided a clean canvas, proving to past patrons that a change was coming.
Not too much to explain here. It’s pretty apparent the white paint makes the building pop.
Marina Station just days before opening for business
The previous owners brilliantly decided to ignore the most valuable asset of the property, the view, and moved the bar to the back of the property, giving patrons a fantastic view of the highway. Moving it back to its proper lakeside home was the first of many challenging renovations. Not only did we move it, we poured a 70 ft. concrete bar-top and finished it with a “glass” epoxy. This stunner was sure to become the most sought-after seat on the lake.
The concrete bar, with its “glass” finish, added the eye-catching feature the space needed.
Wanting to take advantage of the moderate climate and maximize the view, we decided to add four glass roll-up garage doors to the lakeside wall, opening onto the deck. Keeping the doors open from Spring to Fall would not only cut utility costs, but also serve as an open invitation to the large boating community.
The first of four garage doors to be installed. These would complete the construction faze of the remodel
The restaurant is a success, but at the time of the remodel, management had no idea what to expect. With the bottom-line in mind, the budget and work crew were kept small. To cut cost, we had to work with what we had–including the existing tables and chairs. These were sanded down to the original wood and lacquered. The black drop-ceiling was removed and beadboard was installed and painted white. The existing floor was cleaned thoroughly. A restaurant began to take shape.
Before (above) and after (below). Same space, same tables, same chairs, same brick wall. Not the same place.
Executive Chef, Adam Daniel, and his creations
As we got closer to completion, the real fun began. A menu had been discussed, but it lacked direction. In came uber-talented chef, Adam Daniel. His creativity in building the menu inspired creativity in my design. Marina Station was looking like it was ready to open the doors.
A Koozie that serves as a becon, the early stages of menu design and the perfect tagline on a must-have t-shirt
After two soft openings, a few tweaks to the menu and a couple of Hail Marys–Marina Station opened its doors to the public. The remodel was completed in three months for just over $80,000 dollars. It was the first property to open on time in the history of Duke Hospitality, the parent company. It has since grossed 400% over the estimated revenue and doesn’t show signs of slowing. It is the most successful project I have ever been associated with. The success is due to the hard work of a small team made up of outstanding individuals, incredible leadership, and some pretty good creative.
The bar is open!
