Designing Chickie’s and Pete’s: Sports Bar Meets Crab Shack
In 2018, Philadelphia’s Market East Station (now, Jefferson Station) received a much needed renovation. The upper portions of the concourse became the hub of Philadelphia’s Fashion District and the train station below hosted the renovated Market EATS (get it?! EAST > EATS, lol) Our team worked with the base building architect to design individual tenant locations, including this Chickie’s & Pete’s quick service location.
The franchise, known for their crab fries, is a staple for sports fans in the Philadelphia/ South Jersey region. Their 12 locations have the owner-described aesthetic of “Sports Bar meets Crab Shack.”
Some locations lean more towards the sports bar- with endless TVs and sports memorabilia; other locations lean more towards crab shack- with porthole windows, fishing nets, and nautical lighting. All locations are adorned with the signature red/white/black logo as well as teal painted mechanical ducts. This last element was non-negotiable.
My design for this location blended sports bar and crab shack by emphasizing the complementary items from each scheme: wood and brick, sports memorabilia, and of course- those teal ducts. Chickie’s & Pete’s stands out from adjacent vendors with bold signage and an eye catching overhang. The venue is welcoming and highly efficient so that customers can easily access the bar in the front, to-go counter in the rear, and adjacent seating areas to sit and enjoy an order of crab fries.
See below for a glimpse of the design process and photos of the venue as constructed.