The Draft House

Bar, eCommerce, Restaurant Sites

Status:
Online
Client:
PopMenu
Established:
2024
URL:
drafthouselakesidebar.com
Location:
NH, USA
Project Scope:
Website Dev & Design, Brand Strategy, OLO Setup, Local SEO

Project Overview

Capturing the Sunset on Kingston Lake

The Draft House Lakeside Bar & Grille had already built significant momentum with their online ordering success at their former location, the Hen House. Now situated in a stunning lakeside venue, they needed a digital presence that matched their new view. While they had a strong following on Facebook, their web presence was non-existent, leaving a gap between their lively in-person atmosphere and their online identity.

The mission was to build a high-performing digital hub that mirrored the community-driven vibe of the physical space. We needed to launch a modern, easy-to-navigate site that capitalized on their established momentum, prioritizing speed and visual warmth over complex backend integrations.

Challenges & Goals

The Challenges

Technical Constraints: The client uses ALOHA POS but opted against a full website integration to prioritize simplicity, requiring a creative approach to friction-free ordering.

Visual Direction: The client specifically wanted to avoid the "black granite" aesthetic common in bar websites, pushing for a softer, nature-inspired look that didn't feel generic.

Content Readiness: We needed to structure the site to look complete immediately while building flexible modules to intake high-res food photography arriving later from DoorDash.

The Goals

Atmospheric Design: Execute a "Lakeside" visual theme using sunset tones and wood textures to evoke the warmth of the patio experience.

Conversion Flow: Engineer a seamless path to purchase with strong Calls-to-Action (CTAs) that funnel users to the ordering page without a POS sync.

Local Authority: Implement keyword-rich copy highlighting unique selling points—like "48 draft beers" and "First Responder Ownership"—to dominate Kingston, NH search results.

Strategy & Approach

Phase 1: The "Sunset" Aesthetic

To distinguish the brand from typical sports bars, we avoided dark, industrial themes. Instead, we incorporated soft tones inspired by sunset skies and lakefront wood textures. This approach created a site that feels warm, social, and inviting—a digital extension of their patio.

Phase 2: Frictionless UX

Without the benefit of a direct POS integration, user flow was critical. We placed aggressive yet organic CTAs like "Hungry? Order Online!" throughout the homepage and menu sections. This ensures that even without backend sync, the user experience feels seamless and focused on conversion.

Phase 3: Technical Precision

We utilized Custom CSS to solve specific styling limitations within the platform, particularly for the gift card module. By using scoped selectors, we ensured that third-party widgets blended perfectly with the custom design without causing global style conflicts.

Solutions Delivered

Area	Highlight
Visual Design	Created a custom "Sunset & Wood" theme to reflect the lakeside setting, avoiding generic dark bar aesthetics.
Ordering UX	Designed high-conversion flows with prominent "Order Now" buttons to compensate for the lack of POS integration.
Technical CSS	Implemented stable, scoped CSS selectors to customize complex third-party gift card modules.
SEO Content	Wrote location-specific copy highlighting "48 draft beers" and "sunset patio seating" to target Kingston locals.
Asset Strategy	Built flexible layout modules ready to seamlessly absorb high-res photography from DoorDash partners upon arrival.