Ultimate California Pizza, a division of the Divine Dining Group, is an expanding small chain of pizzerias along the Grand Strand. Its customary practice had been to purchase an existing structure and convert it into a pizzeria, with good, but inconsistent results. Mozingo + Wallace was commissioned to take the conversion further, to create a vernacular with a unique street presence for the restaurant, essentially establishing a corporate identity. The Myrtle Beach project was the major conversion, turning a tired retail strip into the chain’s signature facility. To compete with the various offerings along King’s Highway, the building was given, at its most visible corner, an open, timber framed structure that supports sloping signage panels. This tower now introduced tourists to the chain’s logo and signage, a dominant visual element reminiscent of old vintage beachfront lifeguard station. Existing wraparound storefront systems were removed, replaced with exterior walls of wood lapped siding. Openings were kept in the form of multiple pairs of patio wood doors, to maintain the surfer shack theme introduced on an earlier conversion. These doors lead to outside dining areas, created when the parking lot was reworked. The doors were protected with individual awnings with surfer logo graphics. To build on the surfer shack theme, multiple checkerboard wall patterns and colors are utilized along with long surf boards attached to the walls between the awnings. The new restaurant is the dominant element of the retail conversion, while the remaining shops maintain, and benefit from, the decorative scheme. It has brought life to a tired and outdated retail complex.