Howden Building
The Spice Monkey Restaurant & Bar was located in the Howden & Sons Tile Company building. The Howden & Sons Tile Company bulding was owned and operated by master tiler, Robert Howden, Sr. from 1893 to 1926.
The 1920s were a “Golden Age” for tile manufacturing in the U.S., and this building is the only tile showroom from that era known to survive nearly intact. During the years his company was in business, Mr. Howden and his team of tile setters decorated the interior and exterior walls of the building with tiles donated from a vast array of tile manufacturers from around the country.
Mr. Howden’s intention was for his sons to continue the operation of his tile business in years to come, but his sons declined and the building was later sold. The building was declared an Oakland Historic Landmark on November 13, 1984. Fortunately, during the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, the building’s unique design and structure remained unharmed.
CREATING HARMONY WITH HISTORY
A few enhancements were made to the space so as to work in harmony with the original
design.
The 1920s were a “Golden Age” for tile manufacturing in the U.S., and this building is the only tile showroom from that era known to survive nearly intact. During the years his company was in business, Mr. Howden and his team of tile setters decorated the interior and exterior walls of the building with tiles donated from a vast array of tile manufacturers from around the country.
Mr. Howden’s intention was for his sons to continue the operation of his tile business in years to come, but his sons declined and the building was later sold. The building was declared an Oakland Historic Landmark on November 13, 1984. Fortunately, during the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, the building’s unique design and structure remained unharmed.
CREATING HARMONY WITH HISTORY
A few enhancements were made to the space so as to work in harmony with the original
design.
These included:
- Using a commercial pressure washer and hot water to clean 20% of the tiles. The other 80% of the tiles were more delicate, some of which were covered with paint; they needed to be cleaned by hand.
- Replacing missing wall tiles with originals found in the building’s basement and other areas of the restaurant.
- Reassembling and reconstructing many of the broken tiles back together.
- Re-running pipes underground to make the water fountain functional.
- Stripping paint and plaster which had covered the tiles inside of the fountain.
- Scrubbing the fireplace to remove blackened and greasy areas and restore the original color.
- Hiring a specialty artist craftsman to faux finish the walls using towels by hand in order to create a historic look.
In order to create a modern day feel, husband and wife team- Guy and Kanitha added in a bar area. The bar was built from scratch out of recycled wood and has its foundation built above the tiling using anchors between the grout. This was done so that if the bar were removed, there will be no trace of damage along the tiles which lie beneath.
Stained glass was framed and installed onto the upstairs loft windows to diffuse the view of the parking lot across the street. And, an outdoor garden on the ground floor was added to create a more inviting entry.
