With the backdrop of the history that is the city of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania comes General Cafe, a coffee shop with a little bit of a theme to it. When a location can successfully pull off a themed brand it usually means a lot of thought was given to making sure it all ties together. In the case of General, designed by Clarke Harris, the shop celebrates soldiers through time. Much of the branding and collateral used has an old feel, a civil war era feel. A lot of the elements in the shop and used by the shop were designed to appear old and military inspired. From the cups and labels to packaging of all kinds, it all feels like a little dust blow is necessary before using an item. That’s not the case, but the design works in establishing a place with a historic feel, a place that is consistent with its surroundings. I particularly love the logo, using the badge with a cup design created through stripes, a la the soldier’s stripes on a uniform. General is a shop preserving history in a modern world and I think the logo captures that essence.
