Artistry Restaurants founder Barry Goff believes good things come to those who wait and holds the group’s latest concept, The Chapman, as an example.
“The Holler family came to us about three years ago with the hope of making this building into something really special,” he said of the 500 S. Park Ave. address that houses the new restaurant and lounge. After nearly a week of friends and family seatings and VIP previews, a soft opening period of dinner service will begin on January 20 with the full lunch, brunch, and dinner menus activated in early February. Goff spoke with the32789 during a January 18 dinner event to explain the intent behind the design.
Goff said the Holler meeting began an effort to transform the iconic building into 6,700 square feet of spaces that create The Chapman experience. The rehab came down to three ideas:
- Create the largest covered patio on Park Avenue: The outdoor area can accommodate approximately 48 people with two rows of tables set in 80 feet of space.
- Create a lounge that is separate-but-visible from the dining room: A chain curtain offers an inviting glimpse into the Chase Lounge. The chains are also meant to mimic the veil-like look of rainfall.
- Create a special event space that does not feel exclusive: The Henderson Room accommodates up to 40 people and will be used for daily dining, but can also be closed off for private events.
As excited as he is about the space, Goff admits it’s a backdrop to a larger experience. “We needed to give our guests something more, and what better offering is there for locals than their city’s history,” he said. “AVA MediterrAegean brough the Mediterranean to Winter Park, we wanted something that brings Winter Park to Winter Park.”
The historical homage starts with the names. The Chapman and the Chase Lounge are named after Winter Park founders Loring Augustus Chase and Oliver Everett Chapman. The Henderson room is named after social activist and founder of the Winter Park Advocate newspaper, Gustavus Christopher “Gus” Henderson. Goff and his partners also worked with the Winter Park History Museum to acquire copies of documents, artwork, and photographs that are displayed throughout the spaces. Street maps are printed on new flooring that is set beside the building’s original terrazzo tiles. A wall mural depicting the original cityscape leads into the Henderson Room. And an in-progress photo wall will include documents and vintage scenery.
“We were given access to their entire catalogue and there’s a lot of material we still have to work with,” said Goff’s son and Artistry Executive Vice President, Mitch Goff. More framed photos are planned for exhibit and a bookcase will be installed in the Henderson Room to display copies of historic guides and other material.
History is also incorporated into the menu, from locally sourced ingredients to citrus notes that flow through nearly every dish. “The citrus industry was obviously vital to the area and that is something we wanted to reference in the food,” Barry Goff said.
Winter Park is an important influence for Goff as he, several of his partners, and the company headquarters all reside within the city limits. Two additional venues in Artistry’s 29-restaurant catalogue – Boca and Atlantic Beer & Oyster – are also in the downtown area and another Park Avenue acquisition recently joined the roster.
Mitch Goff revealed that 310 Park South was purchased last year by Artistry and will reopen as a new concept that’s currently in development. Former owner Joanne McMahon previously told the32789 that the 26-year-old restaurant needed a refresh and the new owners had, “a really good concept in place” and the rehab would be “a good fit for the community.” No further details were provided by Goff or McMahon.
Reservations for The Chapman are available on OpenTable and the dinner menu is set to go live on the restaurant’s website on the first day of the soft opening.
