Cool Digs: Inside Atlas Restaurant Group’s New Harbor East Office
By: Carley Milligan, June 3, 2019
Atlas Restaurant Group has moved and expanded its headquarters amid rapid growth and new concepts.
The company, with nine restaurants open in Baltimore and more on the way both here and in other states, relocated from 1000 E. Lancaster St. to nearby space at 650 S. Exeter St. The 6,000-square-foot Harbor East office provides a home for Atlas’ executive team, as well as space to welcome guests and handle on-boarding for new staff members.
Joe Sweeney, director of marketing for Atlas, said the office has three computers dedicated to letting staff complete their paperwork and quickly start working in the restaurants. He also notes many empty desks throughout the office, meaning Atlas has “room to grow.”
Growth has been a major part of the company’s past few years.
After opening Harbor East Deli in 2010, Atlas went on to launch eight more concepts in Baltimore between 2012 and 2018. They include Ouzo Bay, Azumi, Loch Bar, Tagliata, the Elk Room, Lollipop, Bygone and Italian Disco.
In 2017, the company opened an Ouzo Bay location in Boca Raton, Flordia, and then expanded their presence in the town with a Loch Bar location in November 2018. And it looks like 2019 will be no different with Ouzo Beach and the Choptank on the way in Baltimore and a Ouzo Bay and Loch Bar set to open soon in Houston. Atlas is also launching two new concepts in Washington, D.C.’s new Moxy Hotel this summer.
All of the restaurant openings are chronicled on a graphic timeline on a wall in the company’s office.
Want your office to be featured in Cool Digs? Email Carley Milligan at cmilligan@bizjournals.com for more information.
Sweeney said the decor in the new office is much more modern than the company’s previous space.
“As we continued to open more restaurants, our team grew,” Sweeney said. “We ended up taking over the space next door and built a doorway to link them together but that still wasn’t enough space.”
One major design element in the office is a large model of Baltimore’s skyline with the hashtag #CityNeedsIt hanging above. Sweeney said the branding “reminds employees that we are building something special, not only for Atlas, but for the city of Baltimore.”
The hashtag has been used frequently by the company and CEO Alex Smith on social media. Smith is the grandson of the late John Paterakis Sr., who headed H&S Bakery and developed Harbor East.
Also in Atlas’ new space you might find a golden haired pup known as Atlas the Puppy. Atlas belongs to Alex Smith, the founder and president of the restaurant group.
Atlas Restaurant Group
Address: 650 S. Exeter St., Suite 1095, Baltimore
Year the office opened: 2019
Size: 6,000 square feet
Designer: Atlas Restaurant Group
General contractor: F.M. Harvey Construction
Management company: Harbor East Management Group
Atlas Restaurant Group has moved and expanded its headquarters amid rapid growth and new concepts.
The company, with nine restaurants open in Baltimore and more on the way both here and in other states, relocated from 1000 E. Lancaster St. to nearby space at 650 S. Exeter St. The 6,000-square-foot Harbor East office provides a home for Atlas’ executive team, as well as space to welcome guests and handle on-boarding for new staff members.
Joe Sweeney, director of marketing for Atlas, said the office has three computers dedicated to letting staff complete their paperwork and quickly start working in the restaurants. He also notes many empty desks throughout the office, meaning Atlas has “room to grow.”
Growth has been a major part of the company’s past few years.
After opening Harbor East Deli in 2010, Atlas went on to launch eight more concepts in Baltimore between 2012 and 2018. They include Ouzo Bay, Azumi, Loch Bar, Tagliata, the Elk Room, Lollipop, Bygone and Italian Disco.
In 2017, the company opened an Ouzo Bay location in Boca Raton, Flordia, and then expanded their presence in the town with a Loch Bar location in November 2018. And it looks like 2019 will be no different with Ouzo Beach and the Choptank on the way in Baltimore and a Ouzo Bay and Loch Bar set to open soon in Houston. Atlas is also launching two new concepts in Washington, D.C.’s new Moxy Hotel this summer.
All of the restaurant openings are chronicled on a graphic timeline on a wall in the company’s office.
Want your office to be featured in Cool Digs? Email Carley Milligan at cmilligan@bizjournals.com for more information.
Sweeney said the decor in the new office is much more modern than the company’s previous space.
“As we continued to open more restaurants, our team grew,” Sweeney said. “We ended up taking over the space next door and built a doorway to link them together but that still wasn’t enough space.”
One major design element in the office is a large model of Baltimore’s skyline with the hashtag #CityNeedsIt hanging above. Sweeney said the branding “reminds employees that we are building something special, not only for Atlas, but for the city of Baltimore.”
The hashtag has been used frequently by the company and CEO Alex Smith on social media. Smith is the grandson of the late John Paterakis Sr., who headed H&S Bakery and developed Harbor East.
Also in Atlas’ new space you might find a golden haired pup known as Atlas the Puppy. Atlas belongs to Alex Smith, the founder and president of the restaurant group.
Atlas Restaurant Group
Address: 650 S. Exeter St., Suite 1095, Baltimore
Year the office opened: 2019
Size: 6,000 square feet
Designer: Atlas Restaurant Group
General contractor: F.M. Harvey Construction
Management company: Harbor East Management Group