Scotch Plains Tavern
The Challenge
An old restaurant building purchased by a restaurant developer needed a total renovation to create a brand for a new eatery in Essex, CT. They needed a bar space with many TVs similar to a sports bar feel, dining area, private event space with ability for clients to give presentations to large screen, TV and audio to speakers, Billiards room and a stage area for bands. Lighting control needs to have preset scenes of different light levels at different times of day / night. It must be automatically scheduled for brand continuity, the same thing every day so clients get same impression each visit.
The Solution
We installed 13 TVs over the bar. Another 7 TVs float above the drink rail that divides the bar from the dining area bar, mounted to support columns made of steel plates fastening large wooden beams, design consideration was needed to achieve the desired look without weakening the metal support plates. Each TV has a cable box and a direct TV box. It needed custom welded steel support structure across the front of the entire bar to support TV and cable boxes with shelves and power. This took coordination with electrician, General Contractor, the client and welder. We needed dimensions of all the equipment and TV size needed to be decided before the support frame was designed or built.
Music system is partitioned into separate sections for dining room, bar, bar dining, billiard room, outdoor patio and common areas. Each section has independent volume control and the ability to play different source material. While relaxing music plays in the entrance and dining area, any of the 40 cable and DirecTV boxes playing in the bar can be selected for the bar, bar dining and stage area. Any source to any location.
Private dining area has large screen TV, speakers throughout the entire large room and a connection point for clients to plug in their laptop and play their presentation to the screen and speakers. Easy, guided control is provided via an in wall touchscreen. Select how you want to use the room and the system is automatically set up for you. If the room is just being used as more dining space, of course the music playing in the main dining area can be selected to provide ambiance to this room.
Lighting control is installed for every ‘front of house’ lighting zone. We worked with the client to show them how to set light levels and save that as a scene for each area of the restaurant. The client was able to create multiple scenes for each area. Each scene corresponding to different times of day – open, lunch, happy hour, dining, late night dining and closing. All without any programming from STS Corporate. The client was also able to schedule those scenes to run at certain times of day and update the scene or schedule; again without any programming or support from us. These scenes help set the mood of the restaurant and scheduling ensures the same mood is presented to the patrons every day without intervention from the manager or staff. Of course, if a room needs a little more or less light, keypads throughout the restaurant allow for dimming or raising the lights any time it’s needed. We even control the neon signs in the billiard room!
Engineer, Jared O'Mara