How was our new concept taken by 30 percent more visitors

A version of this post originally appeared on May 28, 2025, in food food and newsletter Pre ShiftA BIWEEKLY Newsletter for the Pro Industry that the first person's sources from Bar and Restaurant World.

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SabineAccording to the operating partner with many foxes

Where: Mangrack
The growth: On March 2020, James Weimonn and Deming Maclise of Oo Parade Restaurant group closed their 11-year-old Bistro, Bastille. In October, they space is changed To Sabine, a counter-service cafe and bakery. Its scope has previously expanded to add a bar and table-service table from Tuesday to Sunday. In March, the restaurant group Office has partnered An upcoming second location. Here, the rich fox, one of the Sabine operating partners, explains why the pandemic is the right time to transfer the business model.
Increase in daily visitor count from 2019: 31 percent, with the same increase in sales income

In closing with Bastille

If the pandememic is hit, some (in our) restaurants borrow (new operating conditions) are easier than the terms of going or out. Bastille feeling is that the menu presentation and dynamically harder to move. Independent of the pandemic, there is also a feeling that Bastille may run on its way. The idea of ​​closing and changing the concept of time easier than before.

Courtesy of Sabine Café

Upon updating concept

We have to take a big part of sitting to build the coffee counter. The content of the room lost 24 seats, but at the same time, we have a “Suntery” which increases all the seats and more. We have changed that in a street cafe, so if everything is said and finished, we may come out with the same number of seats.

Bastille is a lunch dinner and wine-ahead; Check average is high. (And) Sabine, which is more than a coffee counter, our check is usually small but our volume is higher. Opistoring us a lot of time. We are open from 8 in the morning to at least 10 at night, five days a week.

In the counter-counter service

At first time of the pandemic, we didn't know from one minute until the next one would be handed over to the city or state. Having real counter-service personnel is a large asset at first compared to restaurants of full-service. It's easy to hire it, first of all, and you can lean on the stick you have and really work in relationships.

Courtesy of Sabine Café

To expand

It's earlier than expected. Born from having a good relationship with the owner of the building and their willingness to work with us in an agreement with the landowner who has done all concerns today. Part of what makes us feel good is anti-counter service: the model made of overhead less. Amidst our chef's work, our coffee program, and our bar, we feel that we have a unique concept that is not repeated, at least locally.

To flexible

There are places (within the restaurant group) where we try to counter-counter service, and for us, it is not as an advantage based on concept. Only one of our moving moves still counters the opponent now and that is a place in Leavenworth, outside Seattle. There are other restaurants where it feels better for us and for our style of service to return to full service. It's a subjective, but for Sabine, very nice.