FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

LA UNION STUDIO HIGHLIGHTS FILIPINO CULTURE THROUGH DESIGN WORK AT CHEBOGZ BEACON HILL RESTAURANT

Seattle Washington (April 2023): The countdown is on for the grand opening of CheBogz, a new family-owned restaurant in the Beacon Hill neighborhood that will showcase the Filipino-inspired architectural design by the team at La Union Studio. CheBogz will be located in a shared space on the street level of Colina Apartments, just south of the Beacon Hill Link Light Rail Station. The roughly 1300-square foot space will sit next to another BIPOC-owned restaurant, Baja Bistro, whose owner also has ties to this neighborhood. La Union Studio has also been the creative force behind the unique design of this eatery.

La Union Studio, a Seattle-based full service, architectural and interior design studio, has been working with both Chebogz and Baja Bistro over the past few years, in partnership with the Beacon Hill Business Alliance. The founders of La Union Studio, Sonia-Lynn Abenojor and Sergio Legon-Talamoni, say they are committed to helping these 2 legacy restaurants come back and thrive in a neighborhood where they were once priced out due to gentrification and economic challenges.

“We are happy to share that things are inching closer to completion,” said Legon-Talamoni. “Our general contractor Coastal Construction has been hard at work and keeping us informed about updates along the way to the finish line. To see both Baja Bistro and CheBogz on the verge of reopening with the help of community-minded partners, that has really been wonderful to see”.

The owner of CheBogz Filipino restaurant, Trixia Paraiso, said La Union Studio not only came into this project as a design partner, but the team has also become an all-around mentor & guide helping Paraiso and her family every step of the way during their transition from a food truck to the new commercial space.

“With La Union Studio, there’s a lot of mutual understanding and benefits. It’s like another family,” said Paraiso. “They go beyond being architects. La Union gives out a lot of flexibility with funding and they look out for their clients. They have your backs when issues arise and they do it in a way that doesn’t scare the clients.They really care”.

Paraiso said La Union Studio’s Co-Founder and Director of Creativity, Sonia Lynn Abenojor, was also able to execute her vision of making CheBogz resemble a “Sari-Sari , a convenience market found in the Philippines that sells all kinds of food, drinks and other household goods. Paraiso said with Sonia Lynn’s Filipino heritage, she truly understands how to recreate this unique space that is both down to earth and aesthetically pleasing.

About La Union Studio

Led by founders Sonia-Lynn Abenojar and Sergio Legon-Talmoni, La Union Studio is a full-service, architectural and interior design studio based in Seattle, Washington. Our studio specializes in the tenant improvements of cultural, retail, hospitality, multi-family and custom single family residential projects. Our designs reflect the beautifully diverse identities of our clients - their community - and the broader fabric of the neighborhood. Some of our clients included Phin Vietnamese Coffee, Raised Doughnuts & Cakes, Bahtoh, 20 Oz Tea, Hood Famous Cafe & Bar and Boon Boona Cafe.

For more information on our work & story, go to www.LaUnionStudio.com