take two

Experience Design & Strategy
Hospitality & Experience

Role

  • Restaurant concept development & launch strategy
  • Steps of Service design & hospitality training
  • Guest journey mapping & touchpoint evaluation
  • Restaurant Operations & Systems Building
  • Brand identity, positioning & storytelling
  • Community building & cultural partnerships
  • Content strategy for hospitality & lifestyle brands
Take Two began as a companion concept and evolved into a fully realized destination, a bar designed to stand on its own story.

I led the concept and development from the ground up, shaping brand identity, guest journey, and the systems that defined how the experience functioned night after night. Inspired by spaghetti western grit with a playful Italian twist, the environment was designed to feel cinematic, welcoming, and slightly irreverent.

Every detail, from visual language to signature moments
like the “grimy martini,” was intentionally crafted to balance character with approachability.

The goal was to create a space people didn’t just pass through, but returned to—drawn by atmosphere, energy, and a strong point of view.

The result was a bar that quickly developed a loyal following, demonstrating how a clear concept, aligned with experience design and operational consistency, can transform even a secondary space into a destination.

Photography: One Haus Creative | Design: Julianne Seely

Role

  • Experience Design & Strategy
  • Concept Development & Brand Identity
  • End-to-End Program Leadership
  • Environment & Guest Journey Leadership
  • Team & Operational Systems Development
Assorted cocktails and a whiskey glass on a shimmering red surface with a metal shaker, cocktail picks, and a blue menu titled Take Two nearby, all dramatically lit.A green side table holds a potted plant, a white ceramic goose, drinks, coasters, a rainbow-covered book, and a candle. Part of a wooden armchair with orange floral upholstery is visible in front.
A black and white photo of a storefront door with “Take Two” written on it. The door also reads Back on the horse 7 days a week and Open till late. A hand is partially visible holding the door open.A close-up of a messy sandwich being held, filled with melty cheese, meatballs in tomato sauce, banana peppers, and onions. The melted cheese stretches as the sandwich is lifted.
A martini glass filled with a dark cocktail, garnished with an olive and lemon twist skewered on a cocktail pick, sits on a glittery red surface with dramatic lighting.A woman with glasses and tattoos sits at a restaurant table covered with assorted food and drinks. She wears a red and white Disneyland shirt and holds a fork, with music and rodeo posters on the wall behind her.A tattooed arm holds a martini, a glass of dark liquor, and a Budweiser beer bottle against a red wall with a DO NOT ENTER sign above.
A smartphone displays the Instagram profile of taketwopdx, a bar with 61 posts, 3,690 followers, and 777 following. The phone is set against a desert landscape with red rock formations and a blue sky.A red table covered with drinks, burgers, chicken wings, pickles, sauces, and checkered paper baskets, suggesting a lively meal with friends at a casual restaurant.
A framed photo of two people in trench coats and hats walking in snow, holding suitcases. Next to the frame are a black bird figurine and a lit candle in a glass holder on a dark shelf.A tall glass of a yellow cocktail garnished with lime slices and mint sits on a wooden table, next to an amber glass candle holder and a table number sign reading 39.
A large ice cube in a drink, viewed from above, with the phrase GET BACK ON THE HORSE repeatedly printed on its surface in black letters. The liquid around the ice cube is amber in color.A hand holds a spoonful of creamy dessert above a mason jar filled with layered banana pudding, whipped cream, and cookies on a red, glittery surface. Cookie pieces and whipped cream are scattered around the jar.
A person with pink-painted nails holds a Budweiser beer bottle next to a glass with a dark liquid. The person wears a Budweiser t-shirt and has tattoos on their arm. The scene is set on a red, sparkly table.Two wedge salads with lettuce, cherry tomatoes, shredded cheese, red onion slices, blue cheese crumbles, bacon bits, and creamy dressing, served on a silver platter.
A person holds a wine glass and reaches toward a photo booth slot, with a glowing light above and a sign reading get your photos here and an arrow pointing down.A cozy restaurant booth with a dark wooden table, black padded seats, a teal menu, a candle holder, and various colorful framed artworks on a black and red wall.
Six hands holding various dipping sauces surround a basket of waffle fries on checkered paper, viewed from above.A martini with two olives on a pick sits on a Take Two coaster beside a red matchbook, all on a sparkling, glittery surface.
A dimly lit restaurant with wooden tables, blue menus, a candle holder, and chairs. A framed portrait of a woman in a hat hangs on the dark wall in the background.A glass door with the words Take Two written in white script. The door reflects a street scene with parked cars, a building, and some greenery in the background.
DHW is about designing experiences that make people feel welcome. Informed by hospitality and real-world practice, the work is shaped by how people move through and experience a space, from the first hello to the final goodbye.

Select Clients

James Beard AwardsAbigail Hall High TeaGabbianosTake TwoAngela Vineyards
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