Project Team

design: Techné Architects

George Sykiotis and George Calombaris of Made Establishment, have opened Jimmy Grants in Fitzroy with a fit out giving homage to 1960s Greek Australia and the realization of a long‐held dream to open an Athenian style souvlaki bar in Australia. The space is aimed to deliver a high quality product to the fast casual sector. Jimmy Grants taps into this fast and casual food revolution.

The name itself is a reference to rhyming slang of the 1960’s, ‘Jimmy Grant’ sounding like ‘immigrant’. The brief from George Sykiotis to Techné Architects was to recreate a warm family atmosphere of a Greek home in Collingwood back in the 60’s and 70’s.

“A retro 60’s styling does transport you to a Greek suburban home, as you sit among the action in the kitchen enjoying some great fresh flavours with the traditional souvlaki,” said George Sykiotis, Director at Made Establishment.

Jimmy Grant’s is situated at St David Street, Collingwood, in a 20th century red brick cottage. It’s a historic building with very much a homely feel. The fit out avoids the obvious Greek references and Techné employed subtle hints within their construction such as blue and white geometric frieze patterned tiles in the restaurants bathroom and kitchen together the use of Cyprus pine fence cladding.

These features work alongside warm robust Oregon timber and raw materials such as roof sheeting, concrete floors and steel structures for the seating that work with the local aesthetic. The signage is subtle and on entering the space, customers are certainly surprised by the offer inside.

“One of the challenges of the project was the 125 meter space we were working with. The space had to accommodate the many services

and amenities required such as the kitchen, seating for 35, the bar, service area and it had to allow for a flow of traffic as people order and wait for their takeaway. Techné is well versed in opening up a space,
something we do in both hospitality and residential developments,” said Techné Director Nicholas Travers.

“You achieve relevant design when it talks closely to the environment, service and product offered, and also when it addresses the clients perspective and objective,” said Travers.

Conceptually the idea is that visiting patrons to Jimmy Grants will be immersed in part of Melbourne’s history in a subtle and contemporary execution. The graffiti mural, featured on the restaurants interior is an excellent example of this. The mural references the mid‐20th century migration of Greeks to Melbourne depicting a ship and DC3 that were the most common means of transport that immigrants used to travel to Australia during the 1950’s and 60’s.

“I have wanted to open a souvlaki bar for some time and now is definitely the right time. Eating out is a part of people’s weekly routine and thus you need to provide a unique offer with the food and the environment. Jimmy Grant’s will stand up to this discerning crowd and there will be more popping up around town, and each will reflect the personality of its location,” said Sykiotis.

Techné with its work on Jimmy Grants, has created a space that relates to its location in Collingwood while maintaining a sense of historical integrity within the design. It is this amalgamation of location and tradition that is driving this progression, design, concept and story.