Stan’s: Where Donut & Coffee Lovers Meet
Stan’s Donuts Receives 2020 RD+D Award – Best New Prototype Runner-Up
The annual RD+D Magazine Awards honor the best in restaurant design across seven categories. We are thrilled to announce that Stan’s Donuts & Coffee has been recognized in the Best New Prototype Category – Runner-Up. Check out the RD+D March/April 2021 issue here!
A Historic Chicago Donut Moment
The first Stan’s Donuts was introduced to Chicago in 2014 after a friendship and partnership formed between Rich Labriola (of Labriola Baking Company) and Stan Berman (founder of the iconic Los Angeles donut shop that bears his name). Today, there are multiple locations of Stan’s Donuts & Coffee in the Chicagoland area that serve a vast array of freshly made donuts, delicious coffee, and whimsical experiences to a devoted community of donut lovers.
Where Donut & Coffee Lovers Meet
The client’s vision was to create a space where donut and coffee lovers unite in a comfortable atmosphere. His goal was to turn Stan’s Donuts into an enjoyable place to work or relax. The design team successfully achieved this goal by planning the space with a variety of flexible dining and counter height seats and an abundance of power outlets. A curved corner booth in Stan’s signature bubblegum pink color was designed for customers to cozy up, and has since turned into an iconic Instagram moment.
“I chose Aria for their attention to creativity and knowledge of how the restaurant business works. The design has to be able to be operable in an efficient and profitable manner. We achieved a great, usable design.” – Rich Labriola
Classy Chic Rebrand
The Stan’s Donuts & Coffee prototype design is as irresistible as their donuts and coffee. The atmosphere is chic, spacious, and refined. The design team maintained key branding elements including the bubblegum pink and sage green accent colors, the classic KitchenAid mixer wall display, and “COFFEE” marquee light. On the ceiling, walnut wood baffles radiate from the curved soffit along the front counter. Natural light pours through the wall-to-wall windows and spills onto the tabletops, dining chairs, counter seats, and plush lounge chairs – enticing customers to find their perfect spot. The walnut wood columns and marble front counter add a heightened level of elegance. Faux leather wallcovering is applied to the walls creating an air of maturity and retro ornamentation is reflected through brass details and individually lit cubbies. Overall, a variety of customer needs are met through the design and their sweet tooth is satisfied!
The Team
Our team for this project consisted of Frank Cavanaugh, Principal; Lillian Reyes-Brahar, Project Manager; Travis Vannoy, Project Coordinator; Trina Alsip, Senior Designer; and Arthur Ostrowki, Architectural Technician.
General Contractor: Kern Konstruction
Millworker: Studio Zoran
Custom Finishes: Paul Punke
Photographer: Tony Soluri
