Mildred’s, a family-owned café with over 25 years in the local scene, expanded its presence with the La Rue location in Kansas City’s Library District. The renovation encompasses a kitchen, dishwashing area, walk-in cooler, coffee bar, and café dining. A distinctive ceiling element delineates the “private” zone, organizing the kitchen, cooler, and coffee bar, while meeting cleanability regulations. The dining area features an integrated bench system, optimizing flexibility for varied seating configurations within the compact footprint. Custom collaboration with local artisans resulted in bespoke furniture and blown-glass pendant lighting over the coffee bar, blending functionality with craft-forward design.