Awaken Cafe » Blog

Monday, July 28, 2008

New Reclaimed and Reused Merchandise Cabinet

We found an old beat up shelving unit on the side of the street and
wrapped it in reclaimed redwood salvaged during our remodel.

Labels: green, salvage, sustainability

Sunday, February 24, 2008

Reused, Salvaged, and Community Created Counter

We've been working on our main counter for Phase One, the world-class espresso bar. At it's core, is a re-used lab table from UC Berkeley Overstock and Surplus Den. We cut off the legs to make in the legal height for ADA access and added casters. We're now adding to that a redwood facade using the salvaged redwood from the old drop ceiling at the Golden Bull. The countertop was fabricated out of stainless-steel by a friend of the Awaken Cafe and the whole thing was put together by other members of this community! Stay tuned for more photos when we get it complete!

Labels: build-out, community, green, salvage, sustainability

Monday, January 21, 2008

First Entry Way Mosaic Complete

Is this incredible or what? Three cheers to Aryana Farsai, our incredible mosaic artist!

Labels: arts, build-out, community, salvage

Sunday, July 22, 2007

Facade Construction Begins/Salvaged Equipment

We started construction on the Awaken Cafe's new facade! We're pleased to welcome Anthony Bush of Bush Construction Company to the Awaken Cafe family and are excited to be entering the next stage of this project!

Our neighbors the Jhava House have closed their doors and we're giving some of their equipment a second life at the Awaken Cafe. We got a group of friends together (including Doug Hawkins, Nik Greene, Katy Perrings, and Alex Zendzian) this weekend to move the equipment (which includes some sinks, a refrigerator, shelving, and other small products) down the street into our space!

Labels: build-out, community, green, salvage

Friday, May 25, 2007

Salvaged Redwood

We've begun pulling nails and re-stacking the salvaged redwood beams and sheathing from the old drop ceiling. This wood will be reused to build furniture, counters, accents, and other features in the new Cafe.

Labels: build-out, green, salvage

Tuesday, May 8, 2007

After Demo Work

We recently completed a soft demolition and salvage to prep the space for our remodel. We salvaged tons of redwood sheathing and beams which we will be planing and reusing for siding, accents, and furniture. We also uncovered a beautiful, corrugated art deco ceiling.

Labels: build-out, green, salvage

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Demo In Progress

This is the space being gutted and prepared for the Awaken Cafe. We've uncovered a brick wall and a beautiful art deco ceiling feature, salvaged redwood lumber from the drop ceiling, donated salvaged rock for someone's garden, and hauled away other metal and separated debris to recycling yards.

Labels: build-out, salvage

Thursday, February 22, 2007

Above the Ceiling

The new home for the Awaken Cafe has a drop ceiling which is obscuring the original 18' tall vaulted ceiling. We plan on removing the drop ceiling and opening up the space.

Dan Antonioli, our green construction consultant, and I recently crawled around above the hung ceiling and found some interesting features and details which we should be able to restore and reveal.

Pictured in the photos below are a corrugated ceiling over most of the bar area, arches over the former Asian buffet area, and some decorated, paned windows in the covered-over transom windows.

Labels: build-out, dan antonioli, location, salvage