An upscale restaurant on Highland Road hopes to complete construction on an expansion by April. As 225 Dine reports, French Market Bistros expanding into the 1,800-square-foot suite next door to the restaurant at 16645 Highland Road.
Construction to renovate the space, formerly home to Via Consignment, started about three weeks ago. Co-owner Justin McDonald says the focus behind the expansion is to build out a bigger bar with room for around 15 patrons and increase the size of the restrooms. The additional space will add more dining space with televisions and live music to be added in the future.
“Business has been good, and we knew that our bar business was underserved with the existing bar we had,” McDonald says, explaining that the restaurant’s current bar and restrooms are smaller than they would like. “We thought now was a good time to improve the restaurant for the guests who have been so faithful to us.”
The expansion comes 19 years after the restaurant opened. McDonald says the new bar will also have a glassed-in room in the center for charbroiled oysters and other day-to-day items.
Another addition is a temperature-controlled wine storage room and two dining rooms that can be utilized for larger banquet parties. McDonald says the new space will carry the restaurant’s same décor with the theme of brick and beams, repurposed wood and accent lighting.
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