JOEY Restaurant

JOEY Manhattan Beach was built as an approximately 9,400-square-foot restaurant within an existing core-and-shell space constructed by a separate general contractor. Bruce Guckert served in a hybrid leadership role as both Lead Project Manager and Superintendent, overseeing the project from preconstruction through field execution.

The project required substantial coordination between architectural finishes, structural elements, MEP systems, restaurant operations, and several highly customized components. A floating millwork beam ceiling extended throughout the front-of-house dining areas, requiring the structure, lighting, mechanical systems, and finish work to be coordinated around an architectural feature with little tolerance for field conflict. The bar incorporated retractable televisions designed to rise through the millwork canopy, adding another layer of integration between specialty equipment and the finished architecture.

The exterior dining area presented its own technical challenges. Automated retractable roof assemblies and a large horizontal sliding wall system had to interface precisely with the supporting steel and concrete. Certain connection points required coordination to within 1/16 inch, making early dimensional control and trade alignment critical. The restaurant also included a loading dock and an approximately 2,500-square-foot display kitchen designed as both an operational workspace and a highly visible part of the guest experience.

Preconstruction extended beyond drawings and pricing. The project team traveled to JOEY Restaurant Group's headquarters in Vancouver, met directly with vendors and executive leadership, and toured existing JOEY restaurants to understand the brand's operating standards, material expectations, and guest experience before those requirements reached the field.

Construction was interrupted midway through the build by the first wave of COVID-19 shutdowns, resulting in an approximately five-month pause. Procurement and vendor coordination continued during the shutdown so construction could restart with key materials and decisions already advanced, limiting additional schedule loss once field operations resumed.

The finished restaurant brought together complex architectural millwork, integrated technology, flexible indoor-outdoor systems, a large display kitchen, and a detailed hospitality program within a tightly coordinated tenant improvement.