A Lobby of Creature Comforts
The business is designed so that when a customer walks in, they feel like they’re entering a comfortable living room. It feels far from a sterile environment, with every corner of the area holding a new decoration, including a painting by Hermann’s daughter, and John Deere memorabilia as a callback to Hermann’s previous career with the company.
Customers have ample amenities, including a fireplace with seating and an entire library wall, full of books for customers to take and add to as they wish. Currently, most of the books are those that were donated by the local community.
Across from the main door is the reception desk, which sits next to a beverage bar called the Fuel Station. A step above most, Hermann offers not just coffee, but a wide variety of complimentary syrups for customers to mix in their coffees and sodas, a nugget ice machine, and even the option of a Keurig or a burr grinder to brew your coffee. In addition, at the end of the bar are baked goods from local bakeries that Hermann also offers her customers.
Attached to the lobby is a meeting room, which is free for customers to use to take calls or work. Inside is a custom-made walnut table with black epoxy built into it, as well as a TV on the wall with an HDMI cable.
“We've had people take meetings in there,” shares Hermann. “We just had a journalist who came in, who camped out there for a couple hours, and she was able to take calls and everything right from that room; it’s very quiet.”
Most notably, Open Bay does not only offer auto services, but also has a full-service nail salon directly attached to the lobby. Equipped with two manicure tables and one pedicure chair, this area is designed to be more private for guests. The concept with the nail salon has been to offer customers something to do while waiting on their vehicle to be serviced. Hermann estimates that most of her nail salon customers have also come in to have their vehicles serviced simultaneously.
