Nicky's of Beverly

Nicky's of Beverly is an award-winning example of shipping container architecture. It opened at 105th and Western in 2021, after spending 23 years in a narrow storefront a few blocks away. Owner Paul Kostopanagiotu worked with neighborhood architect Joe Carroll of CMMR, LLC, to create an inviting space, covered in murals by local artists, that people could float in and out of, from the counter to dining areas inside shipping containers, to outdoor spaces that include an enchanting patio.

The design features five steel shipping containers painted bright teal that are connected to the original brick building. Some are stacked two high, while others jut out at perpendicular angles. Customers enter the brick building, where they can order food and watch the activity in the open kitchen. Then they make their way through the containers to find a seat inside or on the patio. Floor-to-ceiling windows and wide openings bring the outside in and vice versa. The project won a 2021 ALA Design Merit Award.