Craft the Perfect Space: Pioneer Square Edition

Like any great cocktail, success starts with the right ingredients—and knowing how to mix them.

Join the team at Atelier Drome, a woman-owned architecture, interior design, and branding studio, for an engaging event that stirs together everything you need to know about opening or growing a brick-and-mortar commercial space. Whether you’re dreaming up your first spot or looking to expand your current concept, this workshop is for you.

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Is this you?
You would be a great fit for this workshop if you’re...

• Running a pop up and ready for a permanent home
• Working in a kitchen and dreaming of your own spot
• Outgrowing your current space
• Selling items from your garage and ready for a permanent space
• Operating an inherited space and want to make it your own
• Expanding into a second (or third!) location
• Moving your brand into the Seattle market
• Struggling with a space that no longer fits your concept
• Wanting to add outdoor dining but unsure how to proceed
• Rebranding and need your space to reflect the shift

We’ll walk you through the “recipe” for building out your space:

The Base: Choosing a space that fits your concept

• What a test fit plan is and why you need one before signing a lease
• The difference between your own leasing agent vs. the landlord’s
• Red flags to look for when evaluating a space

The Mixers: Understanding the design and buildout timeline

• Key players in the process and when to bring them in
• Permits you’ll need and what they really involve
• How to get aligned with the right contractor

The Garnish: Bringing your brand to life through the environment (that cherry on top!)

• How to ensure your space and brand match your vibe

And of course, loads of pro tips along the way! We’ll also be sharing all the tips and tricks to save you money, time, and hassle and how to avoid common pitfalls that leave a bad taste.

Come early for light snacks and mingling starting at 1:30 PM, with our discussion starting at 2:00 PM, and experts from Atelier Drome available to answer questions throughout.

Leave feeling informed, inspired, and ready to shake things up!

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About Your Host: Atelier Drome

Atelier Drome is a 100% woman-owned architecture, interior design, and branding studio based in Seattle. Since 2012, we’ve helped launch hundreds of food and beverage spaces across the region, from multi-concept destinations, commissary kitchens, and bustling restaurants to neighborhood bars, scoop shops and cozy bakeries.

We’ve seen just about everything...and helped clients navigate it all. But the real reason we do this work is because we love seeing small businesses thrive and bring life to their communities. That’s what drives us.

We believe great design should be approachable, collaborative, and tailored to you, whether it’s your first location or your fifth. And we’re here to help you take the next step toward making your vision real.

Let’s keep building the best commercial scene Seattle has to offer!

You'll be hearing from these members of our team:

Owner, Architect

With over 20 years of experience and a boundary-pushing, people-first approach, Michelle has guided countless restaurant, bar, and café owners through the process of turning big ideas into thoughtfully crafted spaces. Her background blends technical rigor with emotional insight, shaped by a childhood in a family of social workers and design studies abroad in the Netherlands. A passionate advocate for small businesses, Michelle leads with empathy, clarity, and a sharp eye for detail, helping entrepreneurs bring their vision to life, from concept to opening day.

Project Highlights: Communion Restaurant and Bar, Bar Harbor, Frankie & Jo's Capitol Hill, U Village, & Ballard.

Senior Associate, Designer

George brings a deep love for Seattle’s urban fabric and a wealth of experience designing restaurants, cafés, and bars across the region. Born and raised in the city, George combines local insight with a global design perspective shaped by travels through Scandinavia, Italy, Japan, and beyond. As one of Atelier Drome’s earliest team members, he’s played a central role in shaping both neighborhood favorites and airport concepts, guiding clients through the full design journey with calm expertise and creativity. George thrives on working with small business owners and brings both warmth and clarity to every project, making the process feel just as rewarding as the final result.

Project Highlights: Pinoyshki, Navy Strength, Skillet Harbor Steps, Caffe Ladro Fairview, Ravenna & Kirkland.

Associate, Architect

Shane is known for his hands-on approach and deep understanding of how spaces are built, from concept to construction. With a background in both architecture and traditional woodworking, Shane brings a craft-forward perspective to hospitality design, ensuring that every detail not only looks great but works beautifully in the real world. Whether he's designing a playful restaurant retrofit or solving on-site challenges with contractors, Shane is all about collaboration, creativity, and practical problem-solving. His work is rooted in the belief that great design lives in the details and that thoughtful planning leads to smoother projects and better spaces.

Project Highlights: Fonte Bar at Rainier Square, Coyle's Bakeshop, Elm Coffee, Flatstick Pub Pioneer Square, South Lake Union, & Kirkland.

Associate, Director of Branding

Lisa leads the studio’s multidisciplinary approach to crafting meaningful brands for food and beverage businesses. With over 20 years of experience spanning graphic design, commercial photography, and landscape architecture, Lisa brings a strategic, big-picture mindset to every project, helping clients clarify their vision and translate it into compelling visuals and experiences. She excels at guiding entrepreneurs through the process of shaping a brand that feels authentic, memorable, and deeply connected to their space. Whether launching a new concept or evolving an existing one, Lisa ensures the brand is never an afterthought but rather acts as the foundation.

Project Highlights: Brand Identity & Packaging for Seattle Scone Co., Brand identity for RazzBuilt, Brand Strategy & Identity Design for Emerald City Flowers and Bryn Rose Quarles Cocktails, Brand Strategy for WeRise Wines.

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

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Host or Publisher Atelier Drome