Early this year HCM and Isola Design (interior design) developed a new Prototype of the MN based restaurant chain Green Mill.  This past summer the Green Mill, Coon Rapids was renovated using the brand and design concepts.  This fall the Green Mill, Woodbury will be the second restaurant to undergo construction for a refreshing new look. The following are the key ideas of the concept design for the new Green Mill Prototype.

  1. A.       Brand Concepts
    1. The new concept should promote food that is fresh, hand made from scratch and genuine.
    2. It is a neighborhood place that is family and group friendly.
    3. Identified as the “Best Place for Kids”.
    4. The new brand to break out from being solely a “Pizza Brand” without loosing its identity with loyal customer base.
    5. The interior should be warm, homey, genuine and natural.
    6. Main competitions is comfort/casual concepts such as TGI Friday’s, Doolittle’s and Applebee’s.
    7. Ideal concept size is 5,000 SF total – dining areas about 2,500 SF
  2. B.       Design Concepts:
    1. The interior reflects the quality of the food and enhances the dining experience; it is sophisticated and natural with a homelike feel.
    2. Dining spaces are a series of rooms that provide comfortable, quiet “territories” / niches and special places within the restaurant.
    3. Spaces are inviting; they are warm, cheery and bright in the daytime and warm and comforting at night.
    4. Materials are real, authentic, and genuine. Textures add integrity without application, and are enhanced by lighting.
      1. The finishes and colors reflect the freshness and quality of the ingredients.
    5. It should be a place that reflects today’s approach to family gathering with visual access to fresh ingredients and a controlled view into the Kitchen that encourages trust in the preparation and reinforces “hand-made from scratch”  brand concept.