The Foundation
If you have ever been to Loretto, you know there is a magical little street that seems to have transcended time. It feels only fitting that somewhere along it, there would be a hidden passageway leading into a speakeasy.
This project began with a clear desire from the owner: to create an environment completely separate from the restaurant—one that allowed guests to have a total experience. There was already history in the relationship. We had met years earlier, when we were both starting out in Buffalo, which made the opportunity to shape something so distinctive within our local community especially meaningful.
Architectural Language
Behind an obscured door, the Speakeasy was conceived as a retreat—hidden, cool, and transporting. The intention was not simply to reference the roaring 1920s, but to create an atmosphere that feels removed from the present moment, where the customer is taken back in time.
The space is rich with color, texture, and mood, allowing the experience to unfold as something immersive and separate from the restaurant beyond it.
Craft & Composition
This project allowed room for invention across the details that shape feeling most intimately: wall finishes, ceiling, lighting, and furnishings. Each element was selected to deepen the sense of era and escape.
The lighting, in particular, was chosen in reflection of the time period. Bowler hats appear on the hanging lights, while the pendants above the bar are finished with long flapper-style fringe that recalls the days of Prohibition. Together, these details bring character, richness, and a sense of occasion to the room.
The Experience
A complete retreat—good drinks, good food, rich with color, atmosphere, and a sense of occasion—Warren’s Speakeasy invites you into a memorable experience that feels suspended in time. The setting encourages you to stay and linger, while the bartender shares nuances of the curated collection of whiskey.
“This project was intensely personal. It was my own home!”
Julie Ann Witt
Results
The story of this project is inseparable from its timing. It opened under difficult circumstances, coexisting with the closure of many restaurants during COVID. And yet its spirit endured.
What remains is a place rich with color and feeling—an unexpected destination within a small town, and a project we were honored to help bring to life in our local community. Designed to feel just as right in ten or twenty years as it does today.
The Harmony of Rooms
Each space is individually composed, yet inherently connected. Each room contributes to a larger, unified narrative—interpreted through function, light, and scale.
- Master Suite
- Living Spaces
- Dining & Library
- Conservatory
- Entry/Foyer
- Entertainment/Media Room
