The stunning space in the gallery above is none other than The Progress, the new restaurant from State Bird Provisions' Stuart Brioza and Nicole Krasinski, which opens tonight. Housed in (and named for) the former Progress Theater, which was built in 1911 and closed in 1925, the space has been chopped up and reused in various ways over the years, including as a market and a clothing store. The couple acquired it at the same time as next-door State Bird Provisions, but due to a number of change-of-use and licensing hurdles, decided to open (and then expand) State Bird before turning their attention to the latter space.
Wylie Price, who did State Bird, is again behind the interior design at The Progress, which features all sorts of individualistic touches, including custom-designed chairs and tables by Kelly Best, handcrafted pottery from Brioza's former studiomate Mary Mar Keenan, and beautiful custom lights. Brioza jokes that "we're trying to bring back the fern bar" with a collection of leafy plants from Flora Grubb, and the curved, ship-like ceiling, featuring the original lathes excavated from layers of plaster, is a showstopper. Also of note are the space's dual mezzanines, which offer a beautiful bird's-eye view over the dining room. Hours for The Progress are Sunday-Thursday, 5:30-10 pm, and Friday-Saturday, 5:30-11 pm.
Further intel on The Progress:
