Seth Weaver had a dream; to build a grocery store in Dillsburg, PA where local people could come to source locally produced, high quality food in a friendly local atmosphere. From this idea, Locals’ Market was born.
Locals’ Market opened its doors in March 2024 as a blend of Trader Joe’s with the service level of a hometown butcher shop. Seth envisioned a convenient shopping experience, with everything you need and nothing you don’t. They planned to go back to the old-fashioned ethos of the neighborhood grocery store where the people in the store knew your name.
Despite being exciting, starting a brand from a blank slate presents unique challenges. Seth and the Locals team struggled to know where to start in creating a brand identity that communicated the style and atmosphere to match their vision. People who shopped had to feel comfortable and welcome.
The Hayman Studio team came to the rescue.
After some sessions with the Locals’ team to determine their vision, some research trips to the site, several brainstorming sessions, and the creative genius of our Creative Director, John, we identified a priority list of key signage elements and presented three artistic directions to the team. This was an important decision as the design chosen would determine the stores’ aesthetic, for now and into the future.
Once the artistic direction was selected, the first task at hand was to design and install a huge piece of wall art, 70 feet long and 8 feet high. The vision was to create a centerpiece the full length of the store, packed with wow factor, creating a keystone from which the rest of the store signage would reflect. John took the country aesthetic, added layers of warmth and customization, and created a truly spectacular design.
From there, we prioritized the development of the necessities of any store, but with our playful twist. We designed and installed the following items:
The branding vision needed to be maintained throughout the store at every level of communication. As the store was new and had not established any brand loyalty yet, they had to be careful to craft a consistent message as consistency is the key to creating a recognizable brand. For this reason, we also ensured assets such as shopping bags, business cards, and letterhead maintained the running aesthetic.
The results speak for themselves! After months of work, the store is now open, and the in-store signs look amazing. Seth and his team have a memorable brand that communicates clearly and professionally to their customers.
This store is still a work in progress as far as signage is concerned, but I think you can agree, it’s off to a fantastic start!
“Around three months ago we opened a local grocery store in Dillsburg, PA. Due to Hayman Studio’s amazing work, we were able to open with a brand identity that we love. Hayman Studio is timely, efficient, creative, communicative, and to top it off everything they design looks great. They made every process smooth and we would recommend Hayman Studio to anyone. Thank you for all of the hard work from your team!”
Camille Waits – Marketing Lead, Locals Market
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