Earnest Drinks

The Challenge:
How do you fit a full bar, ice cream shop, and social gathering space into 1,200 square feet in Kendall Square? Earnest Drinks needed a dual-concept space that could seamlessly blend Gracie's Ice Cream with craft cocktails while maintaining efficient operations and a strong brand identity.

The Solution:
We explored three distinct layout concepts - "The Shore," "The Cove," and "The Peninsula" - each reorganizing the customer flow and spatial relationships differently. The selected design creates a linear circulation path that guides customers from entry through ordering to seating, with the ice cream display case serving as the visual anchor.

The material palette of warm wood planks, bold red accents, and polished concrete floors creates an approachable yet elevated atmosphere. Custom millwork divides the bar and ice cream service areas while maintaining visual connection. Playful brand moments - from the neon ice cream cone to the Dolly Parton-themed bathroom - inject personality throughout the compact space.

Key Design Moves:
- Strategic layout that maximizes circulation flow in a narrow footprint
- Dual service counter that efficiently handles both bar and ice cream operations
- Bold red ceiling plane that unifies the space and creates drama
- Carefully curated lighting with vintage-inspired fixtures
- Outdoor patio seating to extend capacity beyond the compact interior
- Custom millwork details and branding elements that reinforce the playful identity

The result packs serious functional and experiential punch into a modest package - much like Gracie's ice cream in a cone.