Staying on the topic of recommendations I was at Wegmans over the weekend and thought it was great concept to have a recipe of only a few simple ingredients hanging above the olive bar area/cheese department. What is even more unique about this signage is that the recipes are from Wegman’s own magazine Menu. I think its great they provide their customers with simple quick recipes with delicious and fresh ingredients on a budget. In addition they direct their customers to their website in order to get more recipes and tips. The shopper has an experience in the store and then can continue it at home at their convenience. This is just another example of how recommendations are personalized the specific retailer’s demographic and customer base.

In the past few years I’ve noticed a lot of retail stores like Borders making recommendations to their consumers based on their interests/previous purchases. This is a unique way to engage consumers on a personal level. You see this more online at sites like Amazon. I think it is a good idea to do this in stores as well.

When I was in La Jolla I stopped in Powell’s Sweet Shoppe, a store that could have been in the movie Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. In fact they actually had that movie playing in the back of the store with theater seats with the candies from the movie surrounding it. I loved the sign of Powell’s and how they were hung throughout the store for Gelato, Check Out, etc. Of course I also loved the sweets, many of their packaging and the gelato.

Last week after dinning at one of my favorite pizza spots Luzzo’s amongst many discoveries I made that night Plump Dumpling was definitely one of my favorites. I love Asian food especially dumplings! I really enjoyed the happiness portrayed in their signagae and interior space through the graphic/logo.

The restaurant Hare & Tortoise was across the street from my hotel in London. I really liked the logo design/signage of this restaurant. Then when I checked out there website I really loved the web design of the site.

I came across this bar  Blind Pig when I was on the way to the Cut and Paste event in NYC.  I really liked the exterior signage of this bar and thought it had a interesting look in feel. It looked as if the logo/name was burned into the wood.

During my undergraduate studies EAT was a branding system which was studied and discussed in many of my classes. So when I was in London and able to see the signage/interior design as well as the packaging it was much more fufilling then seeing it in a textbook. EAT’s branding system was designed by Pentagram .

While in London on the bus I passed this sporting goods store Snow+Rock. I like the type treatment of the logo and the signage.

During my travels in London one day I was riding on the bus and saw this restaurant front and my first thought was wow awesome typography! So at the next stop I got off the bus and proceeded to go to the Spaghetti House and take a picture of it all because of it’s unique type solution.  Again two great things great signage and great Italian food.  Once I was home I looked at there website and was happy to see the branding was consistent from the store front, the interior of the restaurant, menu design and also the website. The typographic solution to there branding is what makes this Spaghetti House far from ordinary.