A L F R E S C O D I N I N G
1 6 • r e s t a u r a n t d e v e l o p m e n t + d e s i g n • S P O N S O R E D C O N T E N T 2 0 1 8
AL FRESCO DINING
A
l fresco dining is important to
Paul Holder. As co-owner of
The Salt Line in Washington,
D.C., it's a major part of
his business.
Paul Holder: We are a New England-
inspired oyster house located on D.C.'s
Capitol Riverfront, opposite Nationals Park.
Our outdoor bar and dining area are covered
to protect diners from the passing showers.
The riverfront and shade mean it's generally
10 degrees cooler on hot summer days. We
offer a blend of outdoor seating — lounge,
hi-top and standard tables.
How much of your business is driven by
sports events?
PH: The Nationals drive a lot of busi-
ness during the summertime , but good
weather is just as important. As long as
the weather is good, we can be just as
busy — if not busier — on days when
there are no sporting events.
What's more important to you when selecting
outdoor furniture: style or durability?
PH: While style is certainly a strong
consideration, it doesn't matter how cool
a piece of furniture is if doesn't hold
up to regular usage. Each seat equates
to dollars, and if we're missing a few
chairs because of damage that means
we can't serve as many guests. We're in
the restaurant business, not the furniture
repair business. We want products that
will hold up and not require an inordi-
nate amount of maintenance and upkeep
that would distract us from other more
important matters.
The stories on the next few pages
will give you some tips for finding the
right outdoor furniture for your operation.