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With only 2 months, a team of three, a tight budget, and the intense oversight of the New York Historical Society, getting Clara open on time was tough. As Deputy Director of the Oberon Group, I was responsible for everything that wasn’t the food or FOH service, which included transforming the space into a classy, old New York-style restaurant.
To keep the decor within budget had to be scrappy. I sourced objects and furniture from antique markets across New Jersey, ultimately filling 300 linear feet of shelving with unique objects that evoked the spirit of a bygone era. I got the space up to code, permitted, and operational on our target date. Clara opened in the fall of 2023, on my 26th birthday.
Our first piece of press featuring our chef and my favorite ever person to work with, Diego Moya.
Original floor plan sketch by Henry Rich
Staging my 20th century antiques on the wrap around high shelving.
One of many trips up my 20ft ladder that day :)
Oberon's Clara, 2023
Alex Guarnaschelli's Clara, 2025
In spring of 2024, a few months after I left the project, Clara closed due to inappropriate actions of staff within the museum after hours. (¯\_(ツ)_/¯) Since then, Alex Guarnaschelli of Chopped fame and Great Performances, the catering behemoth, have taken over the space. The only remaining elements of the Oberon’s Clara are the name and my interior design finishes :)
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