Forget that morning cup of Java. Just walking into JoAnn's B St. Café, which really is on B St. in San Mateo, CA, 20 miles south of San Francisco, will wake up even the most bleary-eyed non-morning person.

Some of the credit for this stimulation must go to San Mateo's redevelopment restrictions, which prohibit changes to the fronts of historic buildings, such as the one in which JoAnn's is housed. Therefore, architect Sady S. Hayashida, AIA, president of Sady S. Hayashida Architects in Berkley, CA, had no choice but to put the café's signage inside the restaurant.

Through the windows, passersby see the theater-size marquee with neon lights of red, green, blue and yellow that beckons them to come in. Aluminum mullions on windows that run alongside mezzanine level seating reflect the sign's bright colors, spreading a rainbow of colors throughout the two-level establishment.

As contrast to the flashy neon sign, JoAnn's four owners wanted a warm yet aged appearance for their café. They were searching for a look that would replicate the hangouts of the 1940s and '50s, but that would not be inappropriate for sophisticated 1990s patrons.

"The owners did not want a typical-looking diner with black and white checkerboard floors and slick, silvery chrome," explains Hayashida. "They wanted finishes that would create a warmer atmosphere, but then they didn't want anything that would look completely out of place with the neon sign."

A number of alternatives were presented during the design process and eventually architect and café owners agreed on a scheme that combined warm wood finishes, laminate tabletops and chrome. The mahogany wood countertops are stained to a more red tone than natural mahogany. Laminate-topped tables with traditional scored metal edges are a similar reddish-brown color. Hand rails are chrome finished, however the color leans more toward brass than silver for a warmer, less glaring, reflection.

Seating throughout the restaurant combines mahogany colored vinyl booth backs, buff tone bar stools at the counter and multi-colored fabric and chrome chairs at the dining tables. The walls are faux finished to create a textured and worn look to match the owners' desire for an overall aged appearance in the café. A large mural adjacent to mezzanine level seating depicts the four café owners dishing up delectable treats.

Almost all of the cooking takes place in the open underneath the neon sign. A kitchen located behind the cooking line is used mostly for cold prep.

According to Hayashida, the toughest part of this job was working with the sign manufacturer to make sure all of the heat and exhaust ducts required for the cooking line would not interfere with the workings of the neon sign. A large aluminum cooktop absorbs the heat and carries it away from the sign.

The brown linoleum floor has a line of alternating black and buff accent squares that zigzags through the restaurant; a respectful nod to checkerboard flooring in traditional diners, but certainly not inappropriate for this café. Light fixtures include what Hayashida calls "school house fixtures" that are suspended from the 22-foot ceiling and hang high above the seating area. Custom designed wall sconces are shaped like cups of coffee with steam rising from the cups. Recessed incandescent lights, and eyeballs directed at the mural, add general light.

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