There is a formula for success in Minnesota restaurants, and the new stones restaurant in Stillwater has nailed it. The dcor at Stone’s is stunning; lots of dark wood and copper, the ultimate table lights of hand-blown Italian glass, a dark bar bathed in blue light. The owner’s name is Mike Stone, and the stones are a recurring motif-in a sculpture at the entry, in a riverbed of smooth stones that traverses the restroom sinks, in a waterfall on the attractive patio.“ Jeremy Iggers, Star Tribune, September 7 2006

This restaurant project began in a space where another restaurant had already started construction. That project had been abandoned by its owners. The new owner wanted to overlay his own restaurant concept in that partially constructed space. Progressive architecture developed the new owner’s vision by building upon the skeleton of the previous project.

Although somewhat reconceived, the basic framing that had been constructed was supplemented and new materials and lighting were selected to create the desired up-scale, yet casual atmosphere. The resulting environment has broad appeal, part high-end dining, part neighborhood hang out.