As a mainstay in the St. Paul restaurant scene for more than 18 years, the Dakota Jazz Club and Restaurant wanted to revamp and relocate their popular restaurant and jazz club from a dormant St. Paul shopping center location to thriving Nicollet Mall, in a space in the Target Corporation headquarters.

Shea's designers created a space that could be enjoyed whether you were there for lunch, dinner or a jazz show. A new mezzanine feature ensures every seat in the house has an ideal sight line to the center stage. Along with authentic wood, brick and slate, a dramatic flowing curtain helps to separate the space to support the lunch, dinner and late night crowds.

After being successfully open for a year in its new location, Shea again worked with Dakota to audit its entire operation to ensure that the restaurant and club still felt fresh and was meeting the needs of the patrons. Shea's recommendations included a renewed culinary focus to better serve lunch, happy hour and late night, and new menus were designed to introduce the offerings. In addition, Shea created a program of updates that would bring a more casual touch and more color and personality into the space. New exterior signs and menu boards were designed to better attract street traffic, colored lights introduce more vibrancy and energy into the space and a casual chalkboard was added to spotlight menu items and shows.