vernons café

Located at 720 Youngstown-Warren Road in Niles, Ohio, Vernon’s Café is a longtime Mahoning Valley Italian restaurant and lounge that had expanded into multiple suites within its retail plaza. As the restaurant grew, challenges developed with circulation, guest arrival, waiting areas, restrooms, and connections between dining and lounge spaces. Phillips Sekanick Architects worked with Vernon’s Café to reorganize and renovate the restaurant, creating a more cohesive, comfortable, and efficient dining environment.

The renovation introduced a new primary entrance and expanded waiting area, improved circulation, upgraded restrooms, and refreshed interior finishes to create a more unified and contemporary atmosphere.

A major component of the project was the expansion of the bar and lounge and its connection to an enlarged outdoor dining patio. The work represented Vernon’s first major renovation in 26 years, increasing the bar from eight to 19 seats and expanding the patio to accommodate approximately 30 guests. The improvements increased dining flexibility while strengthening the connection between indoor and outdoor spaces.

The completed transformation received positive recognition. Valley Spotlight highlighted the “beautiful renovations,” while diners described the renovated bar as having “great energy and vibe” and the outdoor patio as “nice and quiet.”

The project demonstrates Phillips Sekanick Architects’ experience in restaurant architecture, hospitality design, interior renovation, bar and lounge planning, outdoor dining design, and the expansion of operating restaurants. The renovation allowed a longstanding Niles restaurant to support continued growth while improving the experience for both guests and staff.