(Tool Shed Outdoor Patio 3D Rendering)

Palm Springs, CA

Robert Cole took over as owner of the Tool Shed six years ago. The popular bar which originally opened in 1993, proudly caters to gay men who appreciate the Leather/Levi community and, is located in the Warm Sands District of Palm Springs.

For years, patrons of the Tool Shed would primarily hang out inside the bar or on the small indoor/outdoor patio. This all changed during the Covid-19 pandemic when the establishment was allowed to open up the back parking lot to customers hungry for social interaction.

Fast forward to today and the Tool Shed is now building out a permanent outdoor patio beer garden structure with potential occupancy for 200-329 people.

(Aerial Rendering of Tool Shed Outdoor Patio)

Robert Cole got to tell me the story of how the future permanent outdoor patio got started saying, “During the pandemic, the City of Palm Springs as well as ABC Bureau of Alcohol and Beverage allowed us to have an outdoor patio area. Once the patio got established and people started using it, customers said, ‘why don’t you make it permanent?’  We began talks with both the city and our councilperson Lisa Middleton about the idea.” 

He continued the story saying, “A lot of our customers signed a letter that they thought it would be a great idea for us to keep the patio. The city was open to the idea. We submitted plans designed by H3K Design to the city. Multiple 3D models and 4 sets of plans later, our plan was finally approved! Construction started the beginning of August.”

The new patio is being built with massive heavy steel and will be covered with a concrete block wall built between the Tool Shed and the store next door to cut down on sound, wind, and dust. It will have misters, big commercial fans, a stage, palm trees, plants, and propane heaters.” Robert hopes the patio will be open and available for use for Leather Pride in late October and is excited about being able to provide a space for customers outside to enjoy the Palm Springs weather.

He said, “it’s Palm Springs, the weather is fantastic and people want to be outside. It will be great to have a large useable outdoor space. The patio will have a modern industrial high end vibe, it’s really an elaborate complex steel structure.”

It doesn’t stop there. Robert and I got to talking about the sidewalk space in front of the Tool Shed and adjoining businesses. I mentioned the desolate feel out front from a customer’s perspective and that maybe the sidewalk in front of the Tool Shed needed some trees and greenery.

Robert agreed saying he wants to add Palm Trees along Sunny Dunes Road that would give a more welcoming vibe because currently the sidewalk is extra wide with stark white concrete that is exceedingly hot and unattractive during the summer and bleak and unattractive the rest of the year. 

He also would like to add a stop sign on Sunny Dunes Road on the corner of Calle Palo Fiero which he says will greatly enhance the safety of the area, noting two accidents during the day that have happened already with speeding motorists.

Whether new trees are added out front or a new stop sign gets installed just down the block, the future is looking bright for patrons of the Tool Shed.