A-OK CAFE
A-OK Cafe projects integrate stylish kitchens into retail locations across North America, blending cafe dining with high-end shopping for a unique brand experience.
A-OK CAFE
Project Overview
Originating as an exclusive employee perk, A-OK has evolved into a public staple within several of Aritzia’s North American clothing stores, providing a unique blend of style, comfort, and taste. The menu including pizza, salads, pasta, gelato, pastries, and coffee.
The concept has since expanded to incorporate retail cafes within select clothing stores across North America, seamlessly blending gastronomy with fashion.
A-OK Commissary & Cafes offers more than just a dining experience; it’s a design house with an innovative global platform that combines delicious culinary delights with retail convenience.
Our designs incorporate high-quality materials and finishes that reflect Aritzia’s fashion-forward brand, ensuring each space is both functional for dining and consistent with the retail setting.
Project Goals
Open Concept
Premium Retail Dining
Brand Aesthetic
Project Outcomes
Custom Installations
Foundry Commercial Kitchens tailored each A-OK Cafe to fit seamlessly within Aritzia’s retail spaces, enhancing functionality and style.
Design Execution
Delivered high-quality, open-concept kitchen designs that aligned perfectly with the brand’s chic retail ambiance.
Reliable Support
Provided consistent support and expertise across all project phases, ensuring each cafe met the client’s high standards and operational needs.
Solution & Approach
The challenge was to meld the operational needs of a high-functioning cafe with the aesthetic of an inviting, art-filled retail space.
Each cafe was designed to not only function efficiently as a food service venue but also to integrate seamlessly with the retail environment, offering a harmonious blend of shopping and dining.
Design & Installation
Foundry’s involvement extended to several locations, including the Vancouver Support Office (VSO1) commissary + café, distribution centers, and various retail locations such as Chinook (Alberta), Sherway Gardens (Ontario), Somerset (Michigan), and more.
Each installation was tailored to reflect the unique elements of its respective site while maintaining the overarching theme of A-OK and Aritzia’s brand identity.
Client Testimonial
“From the initial concept and design phases with Jason, Nick, Stanley, and Erica, to the installation phase led by Cat, John, and Boyd, Foundry has been one of our most trusted F&B vendors.
Their meticulous attention to detail, swift execution, and understanding of our high standards have undoubtedly contributed to the creation of aspirational spaces that enhance both our stores and offices. Their work has not only met but exceeded our expectations, making our workplace & shopping environments truly amazing.”
Chris Stewart, VP, Food & Beverage
Aritzia
OUR DESIGN TEAM
From bustling restaurants to state-of-the-art healthcare facilities, we proudly serve a diverse range of industries with tailored commercial kitchen solutions designed to meet their unique needs.
Our senior design team handles everything from strategic planning, workflow efficiency, spatial layout optimization, process integration, and more. Their goal is to minimize bottlenecks and ensure smooth communication between teams all while maintaining safety and quality standards.
Nick Arcadi
Senior Project Manager
Stanley Tsia
Design Manager
Dara Nel-McIntosh
Senior Designer
Gunay Balkis
Design Coordinator
Haifeng Wang
Foodservice Designer
Erica Ko
Foodservice Designer
OUR TEAM
Front-of-House / Back-of-House Flow Optimization
From bustling restaurants to state-of-the-art healthcare facilities, we proudly serve a diverse range of industries with tailored commercial kitchen solutions designed to meet their unique needs.
Our senior design team handles everything from strategic planning, workflow efficiency, spatial layout optimization, process integration, and more. Their goal is to minimize bottlenecks and ensure smooth communication between teams all while maintaining safety and quality standards.
Reduce wait times Reduce food wastage Improve service accuracy Elevate overall dining experience
1. Schematic Design
2. Design Development
3. Consulting & Specification
We start with an initial exploration with our clients and their space. This allows our team to establish requirements and provide solutions and layouts within architectural parameters.
A preliminary schematic layout is then developed with a focus on kitchen flow and cooking intent.
Once the general schematic has been approved by the client, we further coordinate and consult on the project with our team, which includes mechanical, electrical, architectural, and structural.
We manage the project from start to finish and continue to overcome any issues discovered during the construction phase.
Our commitment to excellence doesn’t end once the project is complete. We believe in building lasting relationships with our clients by continuing to support them long after the initial design and installation phases.
Through our consulting services, we provide expert guidance to help clients fine-tune their operations, adapt to evolving needs, and maintain peak performance in their foodservice facilities.
OUR WORK
We Design, Build, and Supply High-Performance Commercial Kitchens
We have forged together three distinct companies into one. A foodservice design agency (Foundry Foodservice Design) a custom stainless fabrication shop (Foundry Stainless Fabrication) and a food equipment dealership (Foundry Foodservice Equipment).
