Mohawk Bend opened its doors in 2011 in the eclectic neighbourhood of Echo Park, Los Angeles, California. Owner Tony Yanow hired Kristofer Keith of Spacecraft Group one of Hollywood’s most in-demand hospitality firms to completely transform the 100-year old Vaudeville Theater into four custom designed rooms.
One of the elements crucial to this theater space is its Grande size. Keith and associate designer Alan Guillen had to preserve the integrity of the original building and integrate seismic retrofit elements required by the city of Los Angeles. By using these moment frames (steel structure) it allowed the space to stay open and much grander that otherwise would have been with a different system. Instead of hiding the structure, it became part of the overall design and a main feature in the space.
Working on a large scale project with a medium size budget, Keith remodeled the space creating separate atmospheres that could flow into each room. To create this harmony, Keith used basic materials of exposed plywood, extensive metal work, and brick interior throughout the 12,000 square foot restaurant. One would find themselves entering through the quad, an existing theater marquee; into a dining area filled with comfortable tailored booth seating, high ceilings, and mirrored walls. Instead of buying off the shelve chair bases, Spacecraft custom made them out of steel to fit with the overall look of the space, further strengthening the design concept.
At the center of entertainment, Keith put in a communal table positioned between dual bars that serve 75 beers on tap. Next to it, an open kitchen boasts a custom-built Woodstone oven serving vegan and traditional food. Further in towards the end of the restaurant, Keith installed a 20ft mosaic glass wall separating the brew pub area from the Ramona Room. Named after the original vaudeville theater, the Ramona room is a beautiful concealed dining area featuring a high ceiling, skylights, brick walls, and a cozy fireplace. The autumn colour and fabric used throughout, compliments the natural finishes of the wood and brick. Natural light, plants, and trees also fill the area, creating for an outdoors setting. The space is very versatile in that it can be completely private with the curtains drawn or with them open making it an ideal place to host events. So far, Mohawk Bend has held intimate gatherings, a wedding reception and a large scale network television show wrap party.
Mohawk Bend is located at 2139 Sunset Ave, Los Angeles, CA, USA, mohawk.la
