Sign Depot Business Client Spotlight – The Bauer Kitchen’s Amandah Wood

Get To Know Amandah Wood

1. Amandah can you tell us about your role at The Bauer Kitchen?

As New Media Culturalist for the Charcoal Group, I manage The Bauer Kitchen’s online community through their Twitter account @thebauerkitchen and their Facebook page. In addition I was brought on to update the overall online presence of TBK, by developing a new website, that functions on every device and represents the TBK brand more effectively. The new site reflects TBK’s upbeat, soho image and allows guests to make reservations, browse food and drink menus and check out upcoming events. I love being able to interact with TBK’s guests online everyday, the restaurant has a vibrant community and loyal regulars which makes my job really rewarding.

2.       What drew you to this role?

I was originally recommended to Jody Palubiski (Managing Partner of the Charcoal Group) and Cindy Perri (Brand Guardian) by a friend on Twitter who had been following the stuff I had been working on during my Bachelor’s degree. I reached out to Jody and Cindy and we discussed how my experience might make me the kind of person they were looking for. I was about to graduate from the New Media program at Ryerson University and was overjoyed at the possibility of working for a group that had been such a huge part of my life growing up in Kitchener-Waterloo region. Time and again the group has proved not only their excellence in service and food but they truly believe in supporting local, and hand crafting every possible element of the dining experience. They also embrace new technology and innovation and try to think outside of the box. I knew I would have no trouble representing a restaurant that aligned so perfectly with things I care so deeply about. This is what really drew me to the role.

3.       The restaurant industry has a lot of competition.  What do you do to make sure that The Bauer Kitchen stands out? 

The short answer to this is that the incredible team at TBK makes it easy. Conrad and his team are consistent when it comes to attention to detail, positivity, and passionate service. Chef Brian leads a culinary team as equally passionate in their craft and supporting the local food community surrounding them.

I believe this is what keeps people coming back.In terms of online I work hard to make sure our online presence reflects that of our restaurant. When someone tweets us, has praise, concern, or simply checks in on Foursquare when they visit, we reach out to them to thank them for coming. It’s also very important that we let the community see the ‘human’ side of the brand, that we are local individuals and real people just like them. Society also loves to share photos of their food and TBK guests are no different. There are hundreds of photos on Instagram from our guests enjoying cocktails, food and time with friends. We share these photos on our website and social feeds because guests enjoy seeing real people’s experiences. I work with two very talented designers who hand craft every design element on the website, our social materials and branding overall. They’re the ones who make everything look fantastic and maintain the TBK brand. TBK walks the walk the brand has so much to say and so much depth in character. It’s really because of the people who build it, and I just do my best to make sure we’re telling those stories.

4.       What do you think are some of the deciding factors that keep customers coming back to The Bauer Kitchen?

Consistency & passion. Business folks bring their clients for meetings because they know they’ll get the same great experience every time. Friends come back because they love the diverse selection of cocktails and the upbeat environment that makes it ideal for socializing. Wine lovers know they’ll always find something they like as our sommelier Jake keeps the extensive wine list ever changing and of course the delicious, delicious food. Together, this team exudes this passion that all of the Charcoal Group restaurants have, and that, is truly magnetic.

5.       How do you attract new clientele to the establishment?

By always thinking two-steps ahead. We use technology to our advantage. the maegan™ platform is a good example of this by introducing new ways for a guest to use the restaurant experience. We are always asking ourselves “what’s next?”.We also love socializing events like Cinq a Sept, that reflect the casual and social nature of The Bauer Kitchen and the community surrounding it. Every Thursday between 5pm to 7pm we encourage people to join us around the bar for drinks and good conversation, we also provide complimentary appetizers that offer a sample of our menu.  Teaming up with other local businesses is such a great way to build connections and introduce us to new markets. For example, using local suppliers like the Bauer Butcher and Caudle’s Catch on our menus, Promotional Elements for parts of our employee’s uniforms and retail program in the Bakery, Sign Depot for signage needs, local contractors for architectural elements, offer in restaurant promotion like our last one with Goliger’s travel, Centre in the Square and Spike Mobile for additional promotions, and supporting local arts and technology (ie. maegan and Communitech) in events. That’s just a few off the top of my head, there’s too many to mention but we are always interested in connections.Mostly we reach out into the community and leverage word of mouth via regular guests and those who have enjoyed their experiences in the past.

There’s A New Kid In Town – Beertown Arrives In Waterloo Region

Exterior Signs For An Extraordinary Restaurant Concept

As mentioned on the Beertown website….

Beertown – our newest concept – is a fusion of a retro public house and a modern beer bar, built around a ‘chef driven’ kitchen.

….the newest Charcoal Group Restaurant was going to change the local eatery landscape in Waterloo Region.  With their unique approach to culinary masterpieces, we knew that this sign project needed “WOW” factor.

Since Beertown Cambridge is situated on the busy Highway 24, Hespler Rd there would be a lot of vehicle traffic passing by, and there would need to be a way to catch their attention.  It was important to have Beertown’s exterior business sign be noticed by passers-by.

The Beertown main logo was only part of the focus for this sign.  In addition the PUBLIC HOUSE part of the sign was to be a feature as well.

We used several techniques to create the outdoor signs. The “Beertown” portion was created from channel letters finished to match the brand logo.  The “PUBLIC HOUSE” was also created with channel letters, but with a few additions.  That element of the sign was to resemble a marquee sign with an aged look.  Most marquee signs are created with traditional light bulbs, but to keep the sign eco-friendly the light bulbs are actually powered by LED lights, which are low energy and have a much longer bulb life.  The paint finish on the letters gave the sign a distressed look that would catch attention to those driving by.

You can see some of our behind the scenes photo on the Beertown Facebook Page.  In addition to the main exterior sign a mural was created on the side of the building.  The mural resembled a bottle cap with a weathered look.  It was created with stencils, spray paint and our resident graffiti artist/sign creator David Hoover.  The finished mural   quickly changed a plain white wall into a work of art.

When the project was completed Beertown included The Sign Depot in their announcement of opening video.  The video below catches the installation portion of their signage.