Series
Bingo®, Dock®, Footprint®, Helio™, Joelle™, Lusso™, Narrate®, Grin®, Mabel®, Tessera®
Room Type
Cafe & Dining, Conference & Meeting, Enclosed & Private Office, Focus Spaces, Open Workspaces, Social & Collaboration, Welcome Spaces
Industry
When it comes to workplace culture, the team at S&L truly “bleeds blue”, maintaining a strong Culver’s brand identity in everything they do – from quality and hospitality to staying true to their Midwestern values.
S&L Companies Restaurant Group began in 1994 when they opened the doors of Culver’s restaurant in Portage, Wisconsin. Owners Jeff Liegel and Chad Stevenson of S&L Companies Restaurant Group have been passionate about building and operating successful Culver’s franchises. To date, they have opened 53 restaurants across four states. Together with Culver’s Franchising System, it is their mission to have every Culver’s guest leave happy.
When they were expanding their headquarters, they wanted to ensure their culture and values would come through in their own space like they do at each store. After previously working with Kimball International Select Pro Dealer, Lerdahl, on a smaller project, S&L knew they could be a full-service partner to help achieve their goal in their new headquarters space. They saw Lerdahl as an integral partner in their brand expansion and wanted to work together to make that vision come to life. In tune with their rural Wisconsin roots, S&L wanted their new space to have a fresh and unique mix of styles to match their innovative, yet farm-friendly brand. By working with Lerdahl, they were able to leverage the Kimball International collection of brands to create an extraordinary solution with the same product quality and craftsmanship that they had previously experienced.
With their rapid growth forecast, producing a cohesive look between existing and future spaces was another important aspect of this project. This gave the S&L team the ability to reconfigure or reuse furniture as needed. They also wanted it to feel airy while still maximizing space.
To achieve their desired look, the Lerdahl team created a balance of offices and workstations along with meeting, lounge, and storage areas using Kimball and National brand products to accommodate employees in work, socialization, and collaboration settings.
Modern and natural materials in a sleek, neutral palette were utilized throughout the space and tied together with pops of the signature Culver’s blue. S&L specifically appreciated how Kimball’s Narrate system could be used as a dualpurpose space in the open plan. One side was for collaboration and the other was for welcoming guests. Creating a space without construction, it also fits the need to potentially reconfigure for growth. A large conference room demanded a considerable portion of the floor plan along with a relaxing café area, creating a strong focal point with Narrate’s custom wood end panels.
The Kimball International logistics team managed a litany of coordination tasks to get the project installed on time and within budget. The freshness of the design aesthetic and quality of craftsmanship fit S&L’s midwestern values. The broad breadth of products and material offerings from the Kimball and National brands hit all the marks of their brand and culture. In the end, S&L’s confidence was rewarded. Partnering with Lerdahl and Kimball International allowed them to develop creative design solutions and ultimately create a unique space that was perfectly on brand.
