When new ownership took over the Villa Florence Hotel in San Francisco, they seized the chance to elevate the food and beverage experience to new heights. Collaborating with STMT Partners, we crafted a pop-up that celebrated the essence of California’s rich culinary landscape. This wasn’t just about serving food; it was about curating an experience that showcased the best of California’s vibrant flavors and innovative spirit.
Restaurant Brand Insight
Collaborating with the STMT Team and our client, we zeroed in on the vision of evoking authentic California roots. But with such a rich tapestry of inspirations, pinpointing a unique approach was no small feat.
After delving into extensive research and exploring countless avenues, we unearthed an origin story that was quintessentially San Franciscan. The tale revolved around Alma de Bretteville Spreckels, a near-mythical figure from the early 1900s. Alma, a patron of the arts and a fervent supporter of the Beaux Arts movement, played a pivotal role in bringing French Art Nouveau back into the limelight.
Her contributions to the arts were vast, including funding significant museum projects and even posing as a muse for a famous statue near the Villa Florence Hotel—or so the story goes.
Known as Big Alma, her larger-than-life presence and personality became the heartbeat of our pop-up restaurant. Her indomitable spirit and towering influence inspired every detail, making our tribute to her a true embodiment of San Francisco’s storied past.
Insight
San Francisco icon Alma de Bretteville Spreckels became the muse that fueled the Big Alma brand story and identity.
Restaurant Brand Naming
Having a powerful muse like Ms. Spreckels gave us a focal point for naming, but the process was far from straightforward. The inspiration, narrative, and name all emerged simultaneously, with the only clear directive being that the restaurant concept needed to evoke the essence of California and San Francisco.
We explored various brand paths, resulting in a few unique and ownable names. Some early contenders, like Tocororo—named after the famous Cuban bird—and Bar Amarillo, with its nod to the iconic yellow bar, had a more Caribbean influence.
In the end, it was Alma’s nickname that stood out. Big Alma quickly became the frontrunner, and thus, the name was approved.
Insight
Big Alma, Alma Spreckels’ well-known nickname, ignited the authentic San Francisco storyline.
Restaurant Brand identity
When the figurehead’s love for the Beaux Arts movement led us to consider Art Nouveau, it seemed like the obvious choice. But with Art Nouveau saturating the design world, it risked becoming just another overused trend. We needed a look that whispered the elegance of the era while speaking with a modern voice.
Our solution was in the typography. We crafted a typographical core that echoed the gentle curves of Art Nouveau but with a refined subtlety. Paired with a sleek, modern sans-serif type family, our typography exuded confidence, paying homage to its historical roots while standing firmly in the present. The result? A design that was timeless and contemporary, all at once.
The type layout harnessed open spacing masterfully, creating a vibe that felt both free and strong. Complementing this, a monogram design rooted the brand in its classic origins, adding a touch of timeless elegance.
We drew our color palette straight from California’s official flower, the Golden Poppy. This choice infused the brand with warmth and a story deeply tied to the region.
Rich greens and golden hues came together to give Big Alma the tribute she deserved—a confident, fresh, and captivating restaurant brand identity that harmonized perfectly with the physical space and architecture.
Insight
Beaux Arts meets modern design, colliding with a uniquely Californian color palette to craft a brand identity that’s as confident as it is captivating.
Restaurant Menu & Marketing
With Big Alma’s classically clean design foundation, the brand’s collateral and menu were set to elevate the identity even further.
We established a unique style for brand and photographic imagery that pulls from the past while showcasing the present. Vintage photography received a warm duotone and halftone treatment, adding texture and a subtle veil to the subject matter.
Fresh food photography contrasted this with cooler hues, drawing from the greens in the brand’s palette to balance the warm beige foundations and vintage treatments.
Simple layouts provided a robust yet flexible base for a menu that could be easily updated as ingredients and offerings changed week to week.
Together, the brand’s identity came to life across marketing touchpoints like sandwich boards and invitations, digital platforms like the website, and menu systems that were both discreetly engaging and highly effective.
Insight
Big Alma’s identity extended into a visual language that bridged the past of her time to the now of ours in a warm, confident and approachable manner.
