Typology: Interior Design
Location: Pavlou Mela 14, Thessaloniki
Usage: Dairy shop, Cuisine & Bar
Size: 130m²
Client: Kourellas SA
Construction: Contrust
Date: 2013
Status: built
Photo: Kostas Pappas

Mia Feta – Feta bar is a unique concept store, designed for the dairy brand “Kourellas” from the city of Grevena in Northern Greece district.

The company provides a holistic production regarding cheese and related dairy products, with their own animal food industries, farms and cheese production factory. Feta bar is their first retail shop for promoting their products.

Its concept describes a multi usage space which combines a contemporary vision of a traditional Greek grocery store, while at the same time being a very unique restaurant.

In the store, one can find numerous different varieties of cheese, yogurts, milk, shakes and other dairy products produced by the brand, while in addition it hosts a variety of selected Greek products by other independent producers, such as olive oil, olives, dried mushrooms, pickles, jams, spices etc.

At the same time, in Feta bar, one can experience tasting the brand’s products on unique gourmet contemporary all-day Greek cuisine dishes, all including- apart from their natural ingredients- a common ingredient, Greek cheese.

Breakfasts and pies are accompanied by special blends of coffee or fresh juices, while meals with a carefully selected variety of Greek wines.

Feta bar concept and design result, emphasize that while tradition retains its qualities, it surely does evolve and adapts its values to an up-to-date approach.While the store design was restricted to be “compact” because of its mixed and complex program and in contrast to its small size, the design language was kept simple and clean, in order to achieve a fresh look and feel but the the same time maintain a light and airy feel, just like a fresh dairy product.

The space is designed to be fully exposed and mixed used, there are no secret corners and no clear spacial boundaries between the different uses on the space, while the customer and the staff share the same area.

On the shop’s left side, the sales department is organized, with the large self-service refrigerator containing the packaged cheese products, the shelves containing the dry load (oil, pulses, etc.) and the cash register, while on opposite side, the serving services are organized, with the coffee machine bench, the heat and cold food chambers, the racks of glasses and storage selves, the wine cellar and a wine dispenser.

All products on Feta bar are directly exposed through open structures which host them, in an attempt to stimulate the simple and minimal of the store.

The heart of Feta bar is its central table, around which the other uses were organized. There, one can taste contemporary dishes based on the Greek cuisine, or try some tapas delicacies and wine. While being the only sitting area on the space, customers sit next or opposite each other, sharing the pleasure of eating and drinking, with an anticipated trend of communication with each other.

At the end of the central table and towards the of the shop, is placed the main refrigerator containing bulk cheese and deli cold meat products.

On the mezzanine, the kitchen area is revealed behind a large glass-window, designed to make the chef movements visible from the ground floor level and emphasize the directness of the preparation and the freshness of the dishes being prepared.On the basement, on the way to the main wc area, one can see the central cooling chamber / storage room for the preservation of the cheese, where products are visible through a large glass-window, like a modern cellar.

The front view of the shop reflects the interior layout of the floor plan. The facade is metallic with two entrance doors and large double height glass windows, while a central wooden bench, as an extension of the central table, intersects the glazing and comes out into the outer environment. to become a stand for two people.

Materials and colors used on the project are warm, bright and clear to highlight the freshness of the product, while also being able to associate with the feel of old groceries, to reveal an indirect connection with the Greek tradition.