Starky’s Authentic Americana

The original Starky’s Authentic Delicatessen was destroyed in an explosion that leveled half a block of historic downtown Bozeman in 2008. When the owners decided to rebuild on another downtown site, Comma-Q was brought in to re-envision the look of the restaurant and create a space to complement the food.

Starky’s is located on the west side of the new downtown parking garage, about a half block off pedestrian-rich Main Street. The new façade, designed to draw people from Main, includes a projecting entry, colorful patio fence, public art, trees, and an outdoor seating area that hosts live music on summer evenings, providing an attractive destination for pedestrians and enlivening the streetscape.

Inside, attention to detail and traditional materials rethought in a modern way create a memorable environment for dining. Suspended wood ceiling planes define spaces, help with acoustics, and provide visual warmth to the space. The interior height of the space, not truly tall enough for two stories, created additional design challenges and it took careful planning to create usable work spaces above the kitchen.

One of the final touches at Starky’s: A great exterior sign, complete with LEDs, constructed by Ole at the Media Station…

• Client: Glen & Kathy Stark
• Size: 2010 sq.ft.
• Budget: $430,000
• Contractor: Walker Construction
• Location: Bozeman MT (map)