We had hatched a plan with our client and Michael Hsu’s office to level the building and start anew, but the budget for that didn’t work out. So while Michael Hsu’s office renovated the rest of the building, we started designing a bar in a basement that was little bigger than a closet. We excavated limestone to enlarge the space below the existing building, and after moving the basement entrance to an adjacent alley, decided the bar should be a dark space, a la the former Milton’s Tap Room in Kansas City, but with strong colors and bold patterns. It works because the service is great and the drinks are delicious.