WellRead
Branding / Print / Web / Illustration
The Challenge & Solution
Being a huge bookworm and coffee addict at heart, I designed a brand that would be my ideal space to shop for books and have a latte. Community driven, WellRead aims at welcoming everybody of all shapes and sizes to take part in the joy of cracking open a good story with a great drink at hand.
A Story in the Making - Discovery
WellRead is a pet project that I have revisited twice since 2012. Looking at its progression, one can see different design styles and moods the brand has portrayed.
Find the Core - Conception
With previous iterations of WellRead, the sole aim was designing a stylish retail brand I’d like to visit. However, it lacked brand values: all style, no substance. Early in this final rebrand, I did a lot of research into why WellRead should exist and developing the core idea: WellRead exists to serve a diverse community through inclusive and playful language.
Open & Inviting - The Logo
While the main icon of the shop hasn’t changed dramatically with previous iterations, small incremental updates have taken place to give the logo a much more approachable personality.
For All Shapes & Sizes - Illustrations
With an emphasis on different people of varying backgrounds coming together to have fun with books and coffee, the visuals celebrate the distinct identity of the individual person. In tandem with figuring out the core reason for WellRead’s existence, there was a lot of experimentation before nailing down a look.
Personally, I’m more of a dark coffee guy, but I knew there’d be a range of coffee drinkers to consider!
I had a really fun time coming up with all the food names. I’m most proud of “Lord of the Bacon.”
My dad keeps coming back to one specific shop because they have this type of card.
Can’t have a bookshop without some souvenir bookmarks!
Fun fact! This one is a remake of one I made back in 2014!
Translating the Physical Page to Digital - Digital Design
WellRead is first and foremost a physical bookstore. That said, a digital presence consistent with the brand’s physical deliverables is equally important. Using both a hierarchy of typefaces and different characters sprawled through the homepage, I want the user to feel just as welcomed into our online shop as our physical location.