Lambert Construction and Eskimo Joe’s cut the ribbon on Joe’s To Go

Lambert Construction Company recently completed Eskimo Joe’s To Go, the newest addition to Eskimo Joe’s, Stillwater’s Jumpin’ Little Juke Joint. Stan Clark, co-founder of Eskimo Joe’s and president of Stan Clark Companies, opened Joe’s To Go with a ceremonial ribbon cutting on July 19, 2010, the first day of Eskimo Joe’s 35th Anniversary Celebration. 

The new two-story addition replaces the atrium on the restaurant’s east side. The ground floor is now home to Eskimo Joe’s To Go, with its own convenient entry on Elm St. and a comfortable waiting area for customers buying Joe’s famous food for carry out. No longer do customers have to wind through the main restaurant and pick up orders by the bar. The Joe’s To Go door will also serve as the main entry to Eskimo Joe’s from 10pm to close. 

The new second floor takes the atrium’s 20-plus seats to another dining level. The room’s oversized windows brighten the second-floor interior and provide patrons with views of Stillwater to the north and east. The new seating area can also be reserved and closed off for private meetings or parties. 

A dramatic new exterior will quickly become another Eskimo Joe’s visual signature. Framing the Joe’s To Go entryway, dramatic wooden beams angle up from the Elm St. sidewalk and extend skyward over the roofline. Along with the second story’s wraparound windows and a ground-to-roof sidelight in the center of the addition, they will serve as a memorable landmark for Joe-goers approaching from the north on West St. or the east on Elm. 

Mark Lambert, president of Lambert Construction Company, headed up the building project. “The location of the original atrium and the new design posed some unique challenges. The atrium side of the building extended right to the West St. curb, so managing demolition and getting materials and equipment in place required careful, coordinated planning. The City of Stillwater helped out with street closings and utilities, and we had full support and assistance from our friend Robert Williams, director of restaurant operations for Stan Clark Companies.”

Stan Clark couldn’t be happier with the result. “Mark and the guys at Lambert Construction did an absolutely great job,” he said. “They executed Joe’s To Go beautifully. We got a great project and a great value. Lambert does top-notch work. They built Mexico Joe’s in 1995, and they did a heck of a job on that building. Sixteen years later it’s still in perfect shape.“

The Eskimo Joe’s To Go addition was designed by Pascal Aughtry and Associates, Oklahoma City. The architectural firm has designed many of the Joe’s restaurant and commercial properties, including Eskimo Joe’s Production Facility, Joe’s Clothes Retail Stores, Mexico Joe’s, and Joseppi’s Italian Kitchen.