about the program On Monday, June 1, 2015 applications opened for the Downtown Fresno Foundation s inaugural Restaurant Makeover competition. The competition was open to all restaurants within the Downtown Fresno Partnership district that have been in business for a minimum of one year. The winner was evaluated on three criteria: People s Choice online voting, scoring by a panel of judges, and ability to meet program requirements including the creation of a Downtown Fresno-themed menu item. community partners Prizes for the winner were generously donated by local businesses including: the prize The winner received a prize package valued at $25,000 that included: $2,500 cash prize to pay for materials and supplies (Downtown Fresno Partnership) 5 hours of interior design consultation services to create a concept design (Core Business Interiors) Drywall services and design/cosmetic consultation including a redesigned floorplan nd design recommendations (Custom Drywall) Custom TV scheduling and digital ad campaign on YourCentralValley.com, production of a TV commercial, interviews on Central Valley Today, and promotions on show and station Facebook page (KSEE24) Full suite of marketing/branding including creation of a brand image; logo design; website design including 6 months maintenance, SEO, training on website maintenance; promotional post card design; creation of social media presence; custom social media graphics; 3 months social media maintenance; 2 hours social media training; menu design; business card design (Luxe Creative Strategies) Flooring repairs (Innovation Commercial Flooring) Exterior renovation grant to improve storefront façade & signage (Next Generation Philanthropy) Audio/video integration, CCTV installation, and network & Wi-Fi setup (Central Valley IT Solutions) Promotional support (CTD Network with Fig Productions) Professional coaching on how to conduct media appearances (Collins Communications)
downtown restaurants There were over 40 eligible restaurants in the Downtown Fresno Partnership district, many of whom are family owned. 5 applicants vied for the top prize: Joe s Steakhouse & Grill Kikku Japanese Food Lily s Café Los Panchos Mexican Restaurant Raizana Teas After a tough competition, Kikku Japanese Food was named the 2015 Restaurant Makeover winner. The community was invited to vote for their favorite participating restaurant. Public voting generated 2,690 individual online votes. media coverage & social media engagement The competition generated 13 media hits from local and regional media outlets including: The Fresno Bee, ABC 30, KSEE/KGPE 24/47, The Business Journal, Central Valley Business Times, KMJ Now, Connecting the DOTS Network, and Visalia Times-Delta. Social media platforms generated tremendous activity. Followers were invited to learn more about the program, the competing restaurants, our community partners and Kikku s transformation. Posts Likes Shares Reach 49 327 134 27815
impact on sales winner 15% 10% Upon being named winner, Kikku experienced a 3% increase in sales Post-makeover, Kikku continues to experience a 10% increase in sales 5% 0% 15% 15% 10% 10% W1 W2 W3 W4 social media / website 248 new Facebook followers, a 40% increase Launched new website kikkujapanesefood.com what s next for kikku? Obtain a beer & wine license Increasing community engagement by becoming a venue for Arthop Kikku Japanese Food first opened its doors August 8 th, 2001. In the 14 years since Kikku opened, owners Silvia & Andri Wahyudi haven t made any significant improvements to the space. Their wish-list included: Outdoor signage to increase visibility New menu boards Furniture improvements Decorative elements makeover weekend (september 18-20, 2015) 22 volunteers 277 hours $2,443 500 feet of baseboard installed throughout the restaurant 8 new seats added as part of furniture improvements, seating capacity increased from 96 to 104 24 new table tops to replace the existing 14 year old tops 20 barstools were & 9 chairs replaced to match existing chairs Community & bar tables custommade from reclaimed wood Painted over 4,000 sq ft of wall Installed new menu boards and signage Exterior improvements included repair and paint of all exterior elements; design, manufacture and installation of exterior signs; vinyl window signage; power wash & clean of masonry; tree trimming to increase visibility
before & after
before & after
thank you! For more photos, visit the Downtown Fresno Blog, http://downtownfresnoblog.com/2015/09/