Pica’s Pub & Grill
Location
Methuen, MA
Size
2,100 SF
After a fire damaged the former Common Grounds Café in Methuen, Massachusetts, the owners of what would become Pica’s Pub & Grill were faced with a difficult decision—walk away or rebuild within the same walls that had served their family business for years. They chose to start a new chapter, transforming loss into opportunity and reimagining the space as a warm, welcoming neighborhood pub.
RWH Architect was brought in to design the complete interior renovation within the existing 2,100 sf footprint. The challenge was immediate and complex: a former café and lottery counter needed to become a fully functioning restaurant with a commercial kitchen, bar, and efficient seating layout, all while working within strict zoning, conservation oversight, and an accelerated reopening timeline.
Rather than expanding outward, the design team worked inward—carefully studying how every inch of the space could be redefined to support a new operational rhythm. The kitchen was reconfigured to function at a full-service restaurant level despite spatial limitations, and the front-of-house was reorganized to improve flow between dining and service areas.
At the heart of the space, a custom 17-seat bar was introduced as both a functional anchor and a visual centerpiece. It organizes circulation, supports service efficiency, and establishes the pub’s social identity the moment guests enter. Around it, seating for 48 guests was arranged to feel intimate without sacrificing capacity.
Instead of concealing the building’s structural constraints, the design embraces them. Existing columns were wrapped in custom stonework, turning necessary structural supports into intentional architectural features. The stained concrete flooring adds durability while reinforcing the industrial character of the space, and exposed brick and timber elements bring warmth and texture throughout.
Above, seven exposed timber trusses span the interior, creating a strong architectural rhythm that defines the dining experience. These elements, paired with industrial-style lighting, establish a layered atmosphere—one that feels both grounded and elevated, familiar yet refreshed.
The result is a restaurant that feels like it has always belonged in the neighborhood, despite being completely reimagined. It reflects a balance of resilience and craft—where constraints became design drivers, and limitations led to character.
What emerged is not just a rebuilt space, but a reinvention of it—one that honors the past while confidently stepping into a new era for the family and the Methuen community.
"And then there’s the décor. The Bernard family teamed with architect Rob Hannon, a long-time Common Grounds customer, on the design and the result was hands-down the most inviting atmosphere of any restaurant in Methuen this side of East Street Grille. The exposed brick, concrete flooring, wooden beams and industrial cement lighting fixtures come together to create a neighborhood hangout feel with an upscale touch." - Tim Wood, Loop Weekly