Prefab interior vestibule

[howsmatt]

It's getting cold. I would like to install a temporary 2nd door inside my restaurant (can't go outside). Basically I'm looking for three solid plastic walls (1 door) and a top. Surely someone makes such a thing but I came up empty on my google searches. Anyone know where I can buy an interior vestibule? I'm in Montreal can can go to new York state if the item fits in a car. Thanks.

[KatieLoeb]

Can you hang a round rod and make some heavy curtains to trap the air? How about one of those portable heating units on the ceiling right by the front door making a warm little temporary vestibule?

[JeanneCake]

One of my favorite restaurants does exactly what Katie has described: there's a large, half-circle rod that goes around the top inside of the door with heavy curtains that can be pulled shut or opened slightly. Because there are windows in the front, you can still see in the restaurant; there's a waiting area to the left so the curtains don't impede people coming in or out, it just keeps the people sitting at the bar comfortable every time the door opens/closes all winter. They take the curtains/rod down in the summer. Hope that works for you!

[howsmatt]

I currently have a rod with curtains but it's not good enough. Also they are too light, problem is they are also 12 feet high so getting something heavier would be costly for a system that is only so so.

[KatieLoeb]

Getting heavier fabric and a small heater could elevate it from so-so to pretty functional though. It certainly works in the restaurants I've seen use that system. (No, I didn't think of it myself. I described what I'd seen in use in at least two restaurants I can remember) Find some heavy curtain fabric on closeout or buy a big remnant. It only has to be functional and not hideous, correct? Heavy velvet or upholstery material would work just fine.

[Kerry Beal]

Having actually had a look at Matt's vestibule today - it seemed that a rod much lower than the ceiling to start and much heavier curtains - perhaps with a weighted chain in the hem to keep them from moving like the currant curtains do when the wind blows.

[KatieLoeb]

Fishing weights or small weighted disks in the bottom hem of the curtains should take care of that problem.

[Mjx]

Your question sounds like one that an industry (restaurant supply, that is) insider would know, even if they didn't supply the item in question themselves.

An online search for [business + temporary + vestibule + interior] only yielded places like this: http://www.signexpo.com/vestibules.html, which don't seem to make what you want, but are very likely to be able to either make you some sort of custom structure, or tell you who does make these, if they don't do that sort of thing themselves.

Incidentally, you may want to look into the wheelchair access regulations related to this sort of structure, since (at least in NYC, don't know how this goes in Montreal) this issue does seem to crop up, from what I see.

[Johnmichelsr]

Getting heavier fabric and a small heater could elevate it from so-so to pretty functional though. It certainly works in the restaurants I've seen use that system. (No, I didn't think of it myself. I described what I'd seen in use in at least two restaurants I can remember) Find some heavy curtain fabric on closeout or buy a big remnant. It only has to be functional and not hideous, correct? Heavy velvet or upholstery material would work just fine.

Hello Katie I am very much impressed with your thought of using heavy fabric in restaurants.. I am too establishing my own restaurant very soon... Working on furniture design and material. I hope your post information is helpful for me. Thanks again

[Johnmichelsr]

Getting heavier fabric and a small heater could elevate it from so-so to pretty functional though. It certainly works in the restaurants I've seen use that system. (No, I didn't think of it myself. I described what I'd seen in use in at least two restaurants I can remember) Find some heavy curtain fabric on closeout or buy a big remnant. It only has to be functional and not hideous, correct? Heavy velvet or Upholstery Cleaners Brisbane material would work just fine.

Hello Katie I am very much impressed with your thought of using heavy fabric in restaurants.. I am too establishing my own restaurant very soon... Working on furniture design and material. I hope your post information is helpful for me. Thanks again

Got hard fabric material and now its time to implement..