Design The Importance of THE EMBRACING WEIRD

By Daniel Ellman

When the owners of Fulton Alley came to Dynamic Designs, Inc., for assistance, their plans were ambitious – and unusual. They wanted to build a bar, restaurant, and bowling center within an old bus terminal in the parking garage of a casino in New Orleans.

“We decided as a group that we weren’t going to fight the location and instead embrace it,” said Doug Wilkerson, co-owner of Dynamic Designs and master planner of the project. “That’s why we decided to make some parking garage elements as part of the design.”

Indeed, the design includes concrete columns, curbs, and even some slopes that were part of the bus terminal. There are also big-arched windows, and the exterior elements take into account two main streets that pass by the center. And the entire facility has an industrial feel, with a color scheme that helps it fit in with the surrounding environment.

What resulted was a design as unique and impressive as any before. And it’s timeless – when it first opened, Fulton Alley was named one of the best new bars in the U.S. by Yahoo! Travel. And it’s still going strong more than seven years later.

Creative ideas in creative spaces

If you have a unique space that you want to utilize as part of your FEC, don’t let that be a deterrent. Every building and every project – including yours

– should have something quirky and different. Design firms such as Dynamic Designs – designing family entertainment centers for more than 35 years — can make your center come to life, no matter the logistics. “The more creative we can be with your center means it will more likely stand out from the crowd,” Wilkerson said. Wilkerson pointed out that the latest trends are for customers to support businesses or unique locations. “Our society loves a pizza shop that was formerly a gas station or residential lofts that used to be part of a factory,” Wilkerson said. “It gives things more of an independent feel than some big-box retailer who has the same style or design across the country. It’s really a big draw.”

And once drawn into your facility, a more interesting building will help your customers create memories and social media-friendly moments and eventually return with their friends and family, benefiting your bottom line.

So, if your old building has attractive windows, brick patterns, or doorways, great! Instead of covering them up, design professionals can incorporate them in the design, just like they did at Fulton Alley.

Do you have a room you need help with? No problem!

A number of profit centers can fit the space and connect with your customer base.

If your center is in a typical, ordinary building but you have a theme idea that may be wild and wacky, go with it! Professional designers experienced in the niche of bowling and entertainment can work with you to pull off a unique idea in a fun and inviting way.

Run toward your differences

“We love the process of embracing the weird,” Wilkerson said. “What we design for one proprietor will be very different than what we design for another with different ideas and vision. We have team members with decades of experience who will meet with you every step, checking in with mood boards and ideas that will ensure you are comfortable with our plans – and that they will make an impact in your community.”

Ultimately, by not running away from your differences – and instead running toward them –you will create a more profitable and successful center than you could have imagined. Embracing the weird translates to authenticity, and customers love authenticity. Stay true to your weirdness and see how business grows.