Boise Fry Company, a popular “fries with a burger on the side” joint with four locations in Idaho, has expanded out of the potato state and into Portland, Oregon. To get the new operation up and running, BFC hired Portland builder Hammer & Hand to do its restaurant remodel. (Visit our Restaurant Build-Outs page for more about our approach.) H&H transformed a space once belonging to a smoothie shop into a modern space with rustic upcycled elements. Located on W. Burnside in the Civic Plaza building, Boise Fry Company is now open and serving yummy fries and burgers.
Photos by Jeff Amram.
The front of the building remained the same (except for a sign change) and the major bones of the building were already there. The look of the interior and the functions of the space were what needed transformation. A BFC designer provided concepts for the restaurant and Hammer & Hand worked out the details. “It was an opportunity to flex some creative license on the space in conjunction with the owner,” said H&H Project Supervisor Casey McKenna.
A lot of reclaimed wood (provided by the owner and installed by Hammer & Hand) now graces the space; see the large “BFC” sign above, and canopy/wall below. The reclaimed wood matches the existing ceramic floor tile with its imprinted wood grain pattern.
Behind the counter the team demolished many of the existing finishes and installed a commercial kitchen in the space. “The smoothie shop that was there before didn’t have a lot of the equipment necessary to make burgers and fries,” said Casey. A new Captiveaire PCU hood hooks into the main building’s water fire system to put out any grease fires. Typically water isn’t used to put out grease fires, but this system works because the hood mixes the water with a solution that breaks down the surface tension of the water. “We worked closely with the City of Portland on the inspection process,” said Casey.
The Boise Fry Company tenant improvement is just the latest of Hammer & Hand’s restaurant build-outs. Check out more of H&H’s commercial work here.
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