Joshua Hissong and Armando Hurtado are turning Spokane’s restaurants into visual and epic adventures, one restaurant after another.

In Spokane, businesses are being renovated with a style that is new to Spokane. The group desires to offer something bold and new to the city, to travel in a global direction. The team has no desire, however, to make Spokane into a place that it is not.

“There are individuals who want Spokane to be something it currently is not,” said Hissong. “Personally, I wouldn’t want it to be. If you move to Spokane by choice, you like it. If you don’t you don’t want it.

“Bring bigger city flare, but don’t lose the reason why people want to be here. People who want the extreme would want the opposite once they had it.”

The restaurant renovation has ranged from Wasabi Sushi Bar, Ginger, Down River Grill, the YMCA,  Beignets, Savory and Fire Artisan Pizza in Spokane and Coeur D’Alene.

“There are compromises along the way,” said Hurtado. “A little discomfort is okay. Brings bigger rewards. Then the clients peers agree, and fears go away. We leave out the doubt for us and for them.”

Fire Artisan Pizza in Coeur D’Alene has been given a five star ratings since it has been running; the restaurant was titled “Best Pizza” and “Best Atmosphere” in a 2012 Readers Poll. HDG won a national award for the design.

For Beignets, what was a European restaurant and Bakery downtown, HDG traveled to Europe with the clients to capture the details that might make the atmosphere of the European restaurant without creating an image that was too unrealistic.

“Spokane has the opportunity to bring design,” said Hurtado. “It is more challenging to bring design here than Seattle, San Diego or LA.

“We are influencing people to move in a global direction.”

Ginger, located on the South Hill, serves Asian fusion, seafood, sushi bars, vegetarian and specializes in lunch, dinner and drinks. Wasabi Bistro, near Whitworth University,  provides seafood and vegetarian, and vegan choices for their customers.

Clients have mixed initial feelings about the bold approach that HDG takes on design.

“We have clients who say, ‘Here is a check, do what you want,” said Hissong. “Some clients that think, ‘What are old regulars going to say about this?’ or “Is it going to be trendy in five years?’”said Hissong.

“If the design is right, it will be timeless.”

Hissong has vision and passion for the restaurants he designs, however the the manual labor process may not be his forte. On the Do It Yourself Network, Hissong was voted by viewers as “The Worst Do-It-Yourselfer.”

“We have a passion for what we do”, said Hissong, who is an award winning self taught designer. “We were jobless and homeless, well, laid off,” said Hissong. “We started collaboration. After two projects, we knew we had to start a company because we needed a logo for our proposals.”

In a culture that stresses the importance of education and the strive for perfection, but awards originality, Hissong and Hurtado agree that all are important, but that failure may come many times over. The entryway to the HGD studio is greeted with a sign that reads, “Get Shit Done. Make Many Mistakes.”