Go Hama-san Go! Part 2

Do you remember Hama-san?
(Check this Construction label
for those new to our blog and for somebody need a quick reference!)

We had a surprise visit from Hama-san last week.
His wife had a baby at the hospital next to us.
Hama-san Family's new addition is a precious baby-boy!!
Both the baby and his mommy are doing great (as you can see at the picture above).
Congratulation, Hama-san!

Construction on Sunday -- Last Phase

Sometimes it Snows in April,,,,,














Finally, our construction is finishing up.














Yoji-kun is here to work, for today.

Apology • Apology

This week has been turbulent.
We owe you Apologies...














This was Monday afternoon shot. There was no way that we could greet you in a proper space...














Jose was working hard, without Hama-san...


First apology:
We felt so terrible that we had to close the restaurant on Monday.
We want to be a DEPENDABLE neighborhood restaurant. We don't want to be the restaurant you aren't sure they are open or not till you get there.
[However, please allow us to make a excuse. Hama-san @ Locus had a back spasm (!) 2 weeks ago. So construction work is taking longer than both we & Locus expected...]

Second apology:
Our telephone line wasn't working last few days!
(We contacted Verizon, and started repair process a few days ago.)
Now the line is working.

We might encounter more problems.
But when we do, we'll do our best to fix the issue :-)

Progress report 5

Locus guys are putting their heads together.
They are working extremely hard.















Still lots of work.
But lights are in, bench seats are partially in.
Fridges are in. I think you'll see more progress tomorrow.

Progress report 4

Hama-san at work.
He works so hard, all the time.
Go Hama-san, go!
Fate of Hibino is on your shoulder!















Sneak peek of the floor.
People from "Locus" did over time work to finish & dry the floor to keep the schedule.
Thank you, guys!!














Omi-san & Jose is putting up panels.
Cabinetry would be in soon!
Sinks are in, too.
It is really getting there.
But are WE ready????

Progress report 3: Floor!

This photo is from last Thursday.
(we have been so busy, and I couldn't update the blog)
Floor is in!















Chef Hirohisa is looking around his new place.
The floor would be stained and coated over the weekend.

Graffiti

"Hot!!"



















"Don't forget to screw in before close off"

We also hope they don't forget :-)

Progress report 2

It is coming together.


















Look, they started laying the floor.
Floor was half way done.














Discussing treatment for the window area.
(From left: Ms. Nakabayashi, Mr. Kaneko, Mr. Kurebayashi & Omi-san)















Jose is painting. Jose can do pretty much everything.



















I like the treatment of door as is.
But it'll be sealed and painted.

Locus

"Locus, NY" is the name of our general contractor.
(Locus: A place or locality, especially a center of activity)

We thought it is coincidental.
We want to be a "locus" for the people in the neighborhood.
Guys from "Locus" are making the space (hopefully) to be a locus.















Locus's owner Omi-san (Mr. Okamoto).















Jose is mixing, mixing, and















Voilá!
















Who's there?















It's Hama-san!

Gallery Hibino

Now days, inside of Hibino looks like a contemporary gallery.



















I see large scale abstract painting, and
















3D-ish painting (like Jasper Johns???).
















I also see contemporary objet.
















And pop art sculpture (2 Mickey Mouse dancing!).


Unfortunately, these are temporary exhibit.
As a curator, I'm recording the show for the people who couldn't make it here during the exhibit :-)

Progress!

Yes, it is getting there!
















Last week, Hama-san was putting up stone board here.
















Plumbing and wiring for sushi bar area is almost done.
















Weekly morning meeting at the site.
From left: Masaru (Hibino), Mr. Kurebayashi (YT Design), Mr. Omi (Locus NY), Ms. Nakabayashi (YT Design), and Hirohisa (Hibino).
Hope everything goes well.

Go Hama-san, Go!

Hama-san is carrying the stone board.
(looks pretty heavy....)















Yes, it is a perfect fit!

People at the Site

Our chef, Hirohisa & Masaru are talking in the future sushi bar / open kitchen area. They can't wait to start working here, I know ;-)















Here's Mr. Kurebayashi.
He is a project manager from YT design. He has been fiercely cutting the cost of the construction. Thank you, thank you, thank you!















This is Yoji-kun.
He is also from YT design, and working as a field manager.
Under the watchful eyes of Yoji-kun, construction is going smoothly.
Again, thank you, thank you, thank you!

Imagine...

Slowly, Hibino is taking its shape.
This is an entrance area: our future manager, Hinata will greet you here.















This is a skeleton for a bench seat.
We imagine people sit here and enjoying our food. The thought of people having a good time here makes us so warm and happy. Hope we can live up to your/our expectation ;-)

Denki gishi -- an electrician

When you come in to finished Hibino, you'll probably see the interior designed by super design team Mr. Kaneko & Ms. Nakabayashi. You'll see the carpentry done by Hama-san. You'll see the dish prepared by our chefs (Hiro & Masa). But you are not going to see the work done by the electrician. ("Denki" means electricity in Japanese)



















But without him, there will be no light.
There will be no food (since our kitchen uses Induction Heating stove).

We might not "see" his work, but we want to thank him for working on the foundation of Hibino.

Let it snow, let it snow,,,, Oh, No!

Though we haven't opened, we still have a "shoveling duty" when it snows. This winter, we had been lucky until last night....

We feel such a sympathy to flower delivery guys. They must be having a difficult time. (and there must be a tons of flower delivery today -- hmmmm. I haven't received one yet, though)

Have to be outside on such a beautiful but a treacherous day is not easy.

Let's Build!

This is a sushi bar area.
Hama-san is working away. Go Hama-san, go!















Now you can see the skeleton of Hibino.















The bathroom would be re-born!
Courtesy of caring design by cute Ms. Nakabayashi from YT design.

We could leave the bathroom unchanged (it was a o.k. bathroom -- and again, we really have a very tight budget). But after we saw the proposal from YT design, we changed our mind.
When you see "good" bathroom in the restaurant, you feel right.
When you see sloppy bathroom, you feel cheated, kind of.

Please stop by and check this bathroom once the restaurant opens!

Deconstructing (?) Hibino

Finally, demolition phase has started.





























It is a minor demolition--taking off old wall panels and opening the air shaft. Even then, we are really thrilled to see guys banging on the wall. This is the first step to create Hibino. We have been thinking and thinking about Hibino for quite a while. Now it is slowly taking its shape. (actually, it is being demolished, but you know what I mean?)

Whole this brings tears to our eyes! (not because of the dust from demolition ;-)




This is "Hama-san," one of the construction guy.
He'll be making Hibino with his hands and tools.
We love you, Hama-san!

Super model???

This is the interior model for Hibino!

We are not "lots of investors putting large sums of money" but "putting and scratching our heads together to cut corners" type of restaurant.
(Don't get us wrong: we will not skimp on our food!)

But we wanted to make Hibino as comfortable as possible within our very tight budget.
This seemingly impossible task was achieved by a very brave design firm "YT Design."
(http://www.yt-design.com/index.html)

People @ YT Design are super nice and very very patient.
They listen to our repeated demands of "Can't we cut this?" "Can this be cheaper?"
They came up with the design satisfies both our financial needs and visual integrity.
They spent a very long time on our (in their scope) tiny project.
We can not thank them more...

Construction phase will start very soon.
We can not wait to see the model realized in the space!