Ask the Architect

Opening a restaurant: 'No problem'?

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Q. I want to open a restaurant, and want to know what I need to do. My father and I have never owned a restaurant. We found a space that used to be an office. The broker says it will be no problem to put in a Chinese restaurant. What should we do, how much does it cost and how long will it take? We have a three-month free lease and need to get started right away.

A. No problem. That’s what the broker said. Sounds like that was all you needed to hear to sign the lease. When I finish explaining this, please ask the broker to read it and then ask if they still think it’s “no problem.” You’ll need to ask questions, lots of questions. You’ll need guidance from the Health Department as to the rules for everything from equipment certification to plumbing requirements to food handling. You may wonder why that shouldn’t be the job of the architect. It can be, but you need to know all of these things, too. Once the restaurant is operational, it will be your responsibility to know what systems and equipment need to be there, how they get maintained and inspected, and the proper serving temperatures, cooling, heating, protection and handling of food for public consumption. The regulations may change without notice, which is why I always ask owners to familiarize themselves with the latest information from each authority.

You’ll need to get existing plans and a survey from the landlord, who usually will try to appear clueless because they tend to not want to provide the information. The landlords who do are the ones you want to do business with. They’re the ones who understand that if you succeed, they succeed. Next, zoning and code analysis to see if you have enough parking for the number of seats for patrons plus employees. The building probably isn’t move-in ready, and each time construction is done, this information and a permit application must be made. Based on the potential number of occupants, a sprinkler system may be needed. Did you check for one? It’s a fairly expensive improvement that the landlord benefits from as well. If you need sprinklers, the fire marshal must be contacted and the permit, separate from building permit(s), can take months.

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