By Emily Stonehouse
It’s no secret that the number one industry in the area is tourism. That’s why ACM Designs wants to start giving back to the community with their upcoming restaurant makeover contest.
“After the pandemic, we noticed that a lot of restaurants are still struggling financially,” said Sophie Creelman, the marketing coordinator for ACM Designs Inc. “Between increased food costs, labour shortages, and closures, it’s been a super bumpy road to recovery for them.”
This was why they decided to launch the restaurant makeover campaign. Offering $25,000 to the winner, the prize would cover all furnishings, paint, decor, chairs, flooring, and anything else the establishment would need for a fresh start. “Our whole purpose is giving back to the community,” said Creelman.
The focus would be on the dining area of the restaurant, but Creelman said that oftentimes, when one space is completed, it results in a snowball effect across the rest of the facility. “Sometimes, people want to make changes in their space, but they just don’t know where to start, so this project really kickstarts their next steps,” she said.
While ACM provides the design work, sourcing, and decor, Creelman noted that these types of projects are truly a community effort. She shared that the following businesses are offering their supplies and services to the restaurant makeover, free of charge:

• Emmerson Lumber
• Kegel Heating and Cooling
• Churko Electric
• Cordell Carpet
• Yours Outdoors
• Cambria
• Quartz Co Surface

“We wanted to use local resources to help a local restaurant,” Creelman said, “this project would not be possible without our partners.”
Back in 2020, ACM launched their lobby makeover contest for local accommodations. The winner was Bonnie View Inn, and the lobby was transformed over the next few years. “We gave our input about what exactly we needed to function, and ACM was able to do the rest,” shared Ryan Yates, the director of operations at Bonnie View Inn.
Yates also noted that with the upgrades to the lobby, it allowed the team at Bonnie View to jump into renovations for the rest of the facility. “Now we had these ideas for the lounge and dining area as well, and we had a template to go off of based on the lobby design,” he said.
Yates said that the best part of watching the lobby design come together was knowing that it was the product of many community partners. “It’s amazing to know that different businesses all chip in to make it happen,” he said. “It makes it so that it’s not just our project, it belongs to the whole community.”
The finalists for the restaurant makeover were announced on Feb. 27, and are Maple Avenue Tap and Grill, The Mill Pond Restaurant, and Truss Foodworks Smokehouse.
Voting will take place until March 19, at which point ACM and partners will dive in to get the restaurant ready for the summer season. To stay tuned for updates on the restaurant makeover, visit www.acm-designs.com