Raising the Bar

portfolio

Raising the Bar

Offering food and beverages via a bar in your exhibit is a wonderful way to woo clients and prospects. But to make the most of your time with attendees, your bar scene needs to offer a top-shelf vibe, rather than a bottom-of-the-barrel experience. Here are six examples that deliver. A far cry from tawdry taverns, these wonderful watering holes no doubt attracted thirsty booth visitors like a two-for-one happy hour. By Linda Armstrong

PHOTO: Andreas Keller

Livin' in Luxury
Exhibitor: Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S.
Show: Auto Shanghai
Design: Braunwagner GmbH, Aachen, Germany, 49-241-401072-0, www.braunwagner.de

High-end materials paired with sleek architectural forms combined to create this utterly on-brand scene for Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. While the base and back wall were covered in serene, matte-black laminate, the stainless-steel countertop drew the eye down the bar to a nearby wall.

Baltic Beauty
Exhibitor: JPD Ltd.
Show: EuroShop
Design: Leopard Creative, Riga, Latvia, 371-66-100230, www.leopardcreative.lv

When you're a retail-design and -construction firm such as Latvia-based JPD Ltd., your bar needs to exude both high-level aesthetics and bottom-end comfort. This bar delivers with a base made of warm-colored wood, a glossy white-laminate countertop, and oh-so-comfy metal stools.

A Fresh Find
Exhibitor: Delphi Productions Inc. (Group Delphi)
Show: EXHIBITORLIVE
Design: Group Delphi, Alameda, CA, 510-749-6890, www.groupdelphi.com

The epitome of fresh and clean, this bar was as appropriate on the exhibit floor as it might be in a fresh-juicing cafe. Positioned front and center in the footprint, the internally lit, lime-green oasis comfortably sat up to 15 weary trade show attendees ready for a refreshing break.

Refined Pallet
Exhibitor: Stamhuis Groep B.V.
Show: EuroShop
Design: Stamhuis Groep B.V., Utrecht, Netherlands, 31-30-241-28-80, www.stamhuisgroep.nl

What says "We're innovative!" better than a hospitality bar built out of old shipping pallets? Retail-design firm Stamhuis Groep B.V. chose this very concept featuring a welded metal top and undermount lighting to make a statement about its creative capabilities.

Real Simple
Exhibitor: Harvest Creative
Show: GlobalShop
Design: Harvest Creative, Memphis, TN, 901-526-6244, www.harvestcreative.com

A bar doesn't have to be sleek and sophisticated to be highly memorable. Just ask Joe's Crab Shack – or creative agency Harvest Creative. The rustic yet realistic look of rough-hewn timbers and corrugated metal combined to create an authentic experience on the trade show floor.

All That Glitters
Exhibitor: T.F.D. Floor Tile B.V.
Show: EuroShop
Design: T.F.D. Floor Tile B.V., Dalfsen, Netherlands, 31-529-431-466, www.tfd-floortile.com

How do you make floor tile sexy? You start with a lesson from T.F.D. Floor Tile B.V. This blinged-out, in-booth bar was the essence of simplicity, as it featured little more than some contemporary chairs, the company's product, and a black-laminate countertop.