Kevin stood outside the abandoned shop next to the Ink & Paint Club. The building was surprisingly large, with enough surrounding space for a proper parking lot, something rare in the dense streets of Toontownsville. He pushed the door open and was surprised to find it wasn't even locked.
He stepped inside and began a thorough survey of the two-story space.
The ground floor was expansive, easily big enough to accommodate a full restaurant. Kevin walked through the future dining area, imagining tables filling the wide-open space. The walls were solid but dusty, and large windows let in plenty of light. Toward the back he found the perfect spot for the kitchen, ample room for grills, storage cupboards, and a service window shaped like the bow of a ship. There was also a small office area off to the side that could serve as his private manager's station, complete with space for a desk made from an old sea trunk, a money safe, and shelves for artifacts.
He explored further: two restrooms at the far back right of the dining area, currently basic but easy to upgrade with urinals, toilets, sinks, and paper towels. A sign could go up saying "Wash Fins" in both English and Spanish for that authentic nautical touch.
The exterior had strong potential too. Kevin envisioned the whole building transformed to look like a giant old lobster trap, wooden chassis with glass windows and walls, giving it that classic New England seafood-shack appearance. A large clam-shaped sign would stand proudly out front, similar to real-life fast-food icons, with five international maritime signal flags fluttering above the entrance. A tall pole would stand outside the right window, and the whole structure would resemble a weathered lobster trap from the outside.
For the parking lot, boats and cartoon vehicles could pull up along the surrounding road, just like in Bikini Bottom. On the backside of the building, Kevin planned to add a drive-thru window for quick service.
Upstairs on the second floor, the space was more intimate. Kevin saw potential for additional eating areas, private booths with softer lighting and a cozy atmosphere for couples or VIP guests. Large windows offered a nice view of the street and the neighboring Ink & Paint Club.
As he came back down from the second floor, he heard a firm knock at the front door.
Kevin opened it to find two men standing outside.
The first was a cheerful, circle-jawed man wearing a bright yellow hard hat, blue overalls over a red-and-white striped shirt, and sturdy work boots. A tool belt hung around his waist, and his face radiated pure optimism and can-do energy. "Hello! I'm Bob the Builder," he said, raising a gloved hand with a big smile. "And this is my partner, Manny Garcia."
Beside him stood a friendly Latino handyman in a red cap, green work shirt, blue jeans, and a well-stocked tool belt. Manny had a warm, approachable smile and carried a large red toolbox at his side. "¡Hola! Nice to meet you," he said with a friendly nod.
Bob continued, "The staff from the Ink & Paint Club told us we could find you here. You're looking to renovate this place into a restaurant, right?"
Kevin shook Bob's hand firmly, then Manny's, smiling back. "That's right. Name's Kevin Harlan. Come on in."
They moved to an old table and a couple of dusty chairs left behind in the main area. Kevin pulled out a notepad and pencil he had brought and began sketching while explaining his vision in detail.
He drew the exterior as a wooden lobster-trap-style building with glass windows, a large clam-shaped sign on an iron post out front, and maritime signal flags above the door. Inside, he sketched the main eating area with tables made from sailing ship steering wheels and barrels as chairs. The order station would be a small boat-shaped counter in front of the kitchen window. He added his private office with a sea-trunk desk, money safe, and wall decorations. The kitchen would feature a grill for patties, storage cupboards, and a service window shaped like a ship's bow. He included the two restrooms at the back and noted the drive-thru on the backside. For the second floor, he added cozy private dining booths.
Even though Kevin wasn't a professional artist, the sketches had a pleasing, energetic charm that captured the fun, nautical Krusty Krab vibe perfectly. Both Bob and Manny nodded approvingly.
"Looks great," Bob said enthusiastically. "Solid vision. Now, do you want the place built in a Noid style which is fully realistic and human-looking or full cartoon style?"
Kevin didn't hesitate. "Cartoon style. I want it fun, colorful, and fitting perfectly with Toontownsville just like the sketches."
They spent the next while discussing details which Bob promised to start immediately and finish within two weeks with his full crew, materials like toon-grade stretchy walls, self-cleaning surfaces, and durable cartoon physics for high-traffic use, and cost.
Bob pulled out a small calculator and notepad. "Base renovation for a space this size in cartoon style, including the parking lot prep, drive-thru addition, kitchen upgrades, and second-floor booths comes to about $245,000. That covers structural work, new kitchen equipment, plumbing, electrical, painting, signage, and basic furniture. We can do payment in stages: 30% upfront, 40% midway, and 30% on completion. Includes a one-year warranty on all toon-physics installations."
Kevin nodded, mentally noting the million dollars from the System would cover it easily with room to spare. They agreed on the price and timeline.
"Great," Bob said, clapping his hands. "To make everything official and trustworthy, I'll call in a lawyer right now to handle the contract."
Half an hour later, another knock sounded at the door.
Kevin opened it to find a man in a slightly rumpled blue suit and red necktie. He had neatly combed brown hair and distinctive yellow skin. He extended his hand with a practiced, salesman-like smile.
"Lionel Hutz, attorney at law," he announced confidently. "Bob called me about a renovation contract. Shall we get the proceedings underway?"
They returned to the table. Lionel pulled out paperwork, explained the terms clearly like liability, payment schedule, completion guarantees, and a clause protecting against "cartoon-related structural anomalies", and had both Kevin and Bob sign multiple copies. After a quick review and a few minor adjustments, Kevin and Bob shook hands firmly.
"Deal's done," Bob declared with a grin. "I'll get my full team here today and we'll start clearing and prepping immediately."
As they stepped outside, Kevin saw their vehicle parked at the curb, a pink four-seater car with a pig's tail, floppy ears, a wide smiling mouth, and big friendly eyes. The car honked cheerfully.
"Hiya! Name's Hamm," the car introduced himself in a laid-back voice. "Ready to haul some tools?"
Kevin blinked, slightly startled by the talking car, but quickly smirked, remembering exactly where he was. "Nice to meet you, Hamm."
Bob and Manny climbed in. Lionel Hutz waved and hopped into a waiting yellow cab. The pink pig car gave another friendly honk before driving off down the street, leaving Kevin standing in front of his future restaurant with a satisfied grin.
He turned and headed back toward the Ink & Paint Club, mind already racing with ideas for the menu and future expansions.
The Real Deal was officially underway.
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[A/N: You can check the auxiliary chapters for character images.]