Marina
Station
Restaurant
& Bar
ongoing
concept
naming
branding
interior design
imagery
landing page
socia media
Marina Station is a quantifiable success. Serving up creative dishes and slinging cocktails from open to close, it is the place to be on Lake Chatuge.
But, before you can appreciate its current success, you must first know it’s troubled past. The property has been around for 20+ years. It has passed through the hands of several owners and gone by many names. The most successful being the Yacht Club and Blue Otter and the least successful and most recent, being The Lighthouse. Located on the shore of Lake Chatuge in Hiawassee, GA, the building has always offered gorgeous views of the Lake and Blue Ridge Mountains. But previous owners have struggled to create an atmosphere to compliment the setting.
concept
Lake Chatuge’s surrounding counties have a population of 20,000+, and the demographic is unique. Full-time residents consist of lower-income rural mountain communities and retirees looking for value. During the “high season,” from May through October, wealthy vacation-homeowners flock to the area.
Many local businesses face a decision. Charge high prices and bank profits during the high-season–knowing slow months are to come. Or keep costs low to appease the locals and miss-out on the influx of wealth. We attempted to capture both, developing a concept that was polished enough to attract seasonal wealth but grounded enough not to alienate the local community. Success would rely on the belief–when people congregate in a comfortable atmosphere over great food and drink, social and economic status doesn’t matter.
Our mission was to create an open-air gastropub, offering a relaxed vibe, elevated casual fare, full bar service and live music at reasonable prices.
Previous owners encountered many problems throughout the years, but the view was never one.
naming
The name, Marina Station, was chosen knowing the restaurant would be the centerpiece of all surrounding lakefront activities provided by The Ridges Resort. The name quickly established a design direction. Service stations of the 1940s & 50s served as inspiration for the crisp white interior and exterior paint choice. The fresh white walls provided a clean canvas, proving to past patrons that a change was coming.
branding
As the interior and exterior remodel moved closer to completion, the restaurant’s identity began to take shape. A menu had been discussed, but it lacked direction. In came uber-talented chef, Adam Daniels. His creativity in building the menu inspired our design. Keeping with our concept, we created a menu influenced by vintage service station receipts.
restaurant design
At the time of the remodel, management had no idea what to expect. With the bottom-line in mind, the budget and work crew were kept small. To cut costs, we had to work with what we had–including the existing tables and chairs. These were sanded down to the original wood and lacquered. The black drop-ceiling was removed, beadboard was installed, and painted white.
The original bar was moved back to its proper location, overlooking the lake. A 70-ft. concrete bar-top was added and finished with a high-gloss epoxy to mimic the clear waters of Lake Chatuge
Wanting to take advantage of the moderate climate and maximize the view, four glass roll-up garage doors were installed along the lakeside wall, opening onto the deck. These would serve as an open invitation to the large boating community. A restaurant began to take shape.
social media
overview
After two soft openings and a few tweaks to the menu, Marina Station opened its doors on Memorial Day weekend, in 2019. The remodel was completed in three months for just over $80,000 dollars. It was the first property to open on time in the history of Duke Hospitality, the parent company. It has since grossed 400% over the estimated revenue and doesn’t show signs of slowing.
