Park Country Club in Williamsville, N.Y., has invested in an igloo dining concept for the winter months. “We were trying to create a safe, ‘ICEolated’ experience for membership as the warm weather faded. When COVID hit, it made perfect sense to provide an opportunity for folks to eat outside in an isolated environment, with people they are close to,” says General Manager/COO Mike Reilly.
Call it a cool idea: Park Country Club in Williamsville, N.Y., has invested in an igloo dining concept for the winter months. Dubbed “ICEolate,” the program was a joint venture between General Manager/COO Mike Reilly, and his assistant manager and F&B Manager, and was conceived as they discussed the possibilities of a new member dining offering.
“Innovation is usually the byproduct of solving a problem,” Reilly says. “We were trying to create a safe, ‘ICEolated’ experience for membership as the warm weather faded. When COVID hit, it made perfect sense to provide an opportunity for folks to eat outside in an isolated environment, with people they are close to.”
The ICEolate concept was promoted via the club’s Park Club App (using Pacesetter Technology), which allows members to make online reservations. Within 24 hours, the 60 total igloo bookings sold out.
Located just steps away from the hostess station of the club’s Runyan Room, each of the four igloos is outfitted with clear padded chairs that fit the icy blue theme and can fit up to eight guests comfortably. Individual 1500-watt faux fireplaces within each unit provide ample heating in addition to ambiance. LED lighting surrounding the igloos (set to blue, green and red during the holidays) adds an extra glow.
To further add to members’ comfort levels, the club opted for only one seating per night, so the staff can clean and sanitize the space for the following day. “It’s a big selling point for those who remain skittish with COVID, that they aren’t going into [an igloo] that was just used by other people,” notes Reilly. Vented windows also provide extra ventilation and (literally) a breath of fresh air.
As part of the igloo-themed dining experience, the club has enhanced its menu with some fitting specials, including warm fondues, thermoses of hot cocoa and coffee, and specialty wines. While sipping on hot libations, guests can listen to their own playlists using the built-in Bluetooth speakers, helping to set the mood for an enjoyable, cozy evening under the stars.
“As an industry, we all know that casual dining is what the members want,” notes Reilly. “But in this instance, with four unique opportunities, we’ve created more of a fine-dining experience.” The club plans to use the igloos through the end of March and expects to revisit the concept next year as well.
Tell Us What You Think!
You must be logged in to post a comment.