A Slice of Nostalgia: Inside Muse Pizzeria & Arcade
Muse Pizzeria & Arcade in Colonial Beach, Virginia, blends nostalgic arcade vibes and modern design to create a dynamic, family-focused community hub that celebrates the town’s maritime spirit while offering a unique dining and interactive experience.
Colonial Beach, Virginia, whispers stories of waterfront adventures. Tucked along the shores, Muse Pizzeria & Arcade breathes life into these memories — a vibrant canvas where vintage boardwalks blend with contemporary design. Designed by the minds at Campfire & Co., a women-owned creative agency based in Richmond, this space doesn't just serve pizza; it provides an experience, inspired by the region's spirited DNA.
Using Memories as a Muse
Every great space has a story and Muse's name is a love letter to the maritime spirit of Colonial Beach. Beyond a catchy name, Campfire & Co. crafted a narrative anchor connecting the restaurant to its local roots. The term "muse" typically means inspiration and creativity — but at Muse, it takes on a deeper meaning. This space draws inspiration from the soul of Colonial Beach: memories of a day spent on the boardwalk.
A Dynamic Community Hub
Designed to be a versatile community hub, Muse is nestled in a dynamic mixed-use building, curated with a blend of nostalgia and modern design. With residential spaces above and two restaurants below, the building offers some interesting features. The kitchen — shared between Muse and its neighboring restaurant, Drift — becomes a space where culinary boundaries blur, allowing each concept to complement the other while sharing resources and creative spirit. By day, Muse is a family-focused, arcade-inspired eatery. By night, it plays a role in a vibrant dining destination, revealing a more refined dining experience that showcases the building's dual personality.
Arcade Nostalgia Meets Modern Design
Muse aims to create a classic boardwalk experience — a space where multiple generations can gather, play, and connect. The design echoes an era of arcade games, slice-grabbing, and family fun — a deliberate nod to the restaurant's playful concept.
Custom graphics like vintage photos of Colonial Beach and an amusing seagull illustration add layers of local character and whimsy. The marquee elements and carefully chosen color palette create "Instagrammable" moments that invite interaction and storytelling, both indoors and out.
Furniture as a Brand Canvas
When it came to furniture selection, the Campfire team sought pieces that could flex between brand identity and practical design. The Opla Outdoor Chair became a key piece found throughout the space. Inside, Opla seating was used to inject Muse’s signature red throughout the space and features custom seat cushions in a warm orange tone, solidifying the restaurant's graphic identity. Outside, a mixture of Opla chairs transition to a black and white palette, while barstools in “Muse red” maintain design continuity in different environments.
Inside, the Sally Bolt Down Barstool adds a touch of warmth with its wooden seats and green bases which echo upholstery used on the bench seating. The color story contributes to a bright and modern ambiance, with retro undertones — acting as an extension of Muse’s brand identity.
Learn more about Grand Rapids Chair's standard metal and wood finishes.
"We always like to talk about infusing brand into interiors and trying to make it feel more distinctive," says Christie Thompson, Partner and Lead Strategist of Campfire & Co. "The flexibility of Grand Rapids Chair products allowed us to create a truly unique experience."
For Campfire & Co., success lies in creating spaces that are more than just functional—they're memorable. The Muse project exemplifies this ethos, transforming a simple pizzeria into a destination that tells a story and invites interaction. It's a space that invites people to come together, play, eat, and create memories.
