by Danielle Aldrich
Cliché Café is an exploration of public typography throughout seven Lawrence, Kansas coffee shops. Each coffee shop is uniquely different; whether by typographic style, or the stereotypical customer that lounges around drinking coffee in each shop. In Cliché Café, I go to a different coffee shop each day of the week with a different friend everyday. For each friend I go with, I go to the coffee shop where they would fit in the most and where they would be considered the stereotypical, cliché customer.
S M Tu W Th F S
Sunday: Hannah the Hippie Monday: Riley the Trendsetter Tuesday: Anne the Geek Wednesday: Tegan the Art Freak Thursday: Megan the Sorority Girl Friday: John the Businessman Saturday: Jack the Elderly
HANNAH
Z’s DIVINE ESPRESSO
sunday
hippie
It’s around three in the afternoon. My friend
needs to study for and I, of course, have some
Hannah and I are just getting up and around
graphics homework that needs some attention. We
after a night of light partying. Hannah is
are in dire need of coffee. So we walk to her favorite
wearing a pair of jeans she recycled into
place—Z’s—off of 9th and Mass downtown. She
shorts, a shirt her mom wore in the 70’s, and
loves the artisan and Ugandan coffee. But I think
a pair of flip-flops—the same outfit she wore
what she loves most about Z’s is that practically
from last night. Tomorrow, Hannah has an
everything there is recycled. We get in and order a
environmental science class test that she
medium cup of coffee and start to work.
Comic Sans MS Bold
S M Tu W Th F S At Z’s the type reminds me of a hippie. Z’s uses a lot of handwritten type as well as organic and expressive typefaces. There are many type forms that use a distressed and textured look.
Peace, love, & coffee.
RILEY
JAVA BREAK
monday trendsetter
Call 816-645-6668 for a mediocre time.
Some of the typography at Java Break is handwritten which I think helps appeal to a trendier crowd. Java Break also utilizes a lot of Helvetica, which is a very popular typeface. Public typography at Java Break represents trendsetters well.
[ Actual note found on a couch at Java Break.]
S M Tu W Th F S
Monday’s are usually pretty chill days for me. I
it’s very unique, but Riley just loves to go for the
only have graphics class that day and it isn’t until
cupcakes and originality of the spot. We definitely
2:30, so I asked my friend Riley if she wanted to
don’t go for the friendliness—it’s non-existent. But
go to Java Break with me. I knew she liked that
it is always fun to jot down little notes on the walls
crowd; she fits in with all the Ray-Ban, Ked, and
and couches in the back.
plaid-wearing kids. I like to get the coffee there,
Jonas Brothers: CLEAN Adam Lambert: DIRTY
ANNE
DUNN BROS
tuesday geek
Tidy, clean type that reminds me very much of what a geek’s room might look like.]
]
The typography at Dunn Bros is a lot of clean sans serif typefaces like Berthold Akzidenz Grotesk Super. They throw in the occasional slab serif like they did in the logo for Dunn Bros. They also use handwriting on this black menu. It reminds me of a classroom’s chalkboard writing, which a geek might be attracted to.
S M Tu W Th F S
E = mc
2
Anne and I just got out of our Decision Mak-
shirt, the whole shebang. She accessorizes her
ing class that seemed to drone on forever. She
outfit with books. We head to Dunn Brothers
thought it would be a good idea to go get some
and we get a cup of Joe, settle in, and get going
coffee so we can study for next Thursday’s test.
on some exhausting probability equations. Five
She’s always so on top of things. I feel bad for
minutes into drinking and studying the geek spills
saying she’s a dork but, at the same time, I’m
coffee all over herself. She should have worn her
no liar. She’s got the nerdy glasses, tucked in
pocket protector…
TEGAN
SIGNS OF LIFE
wednesday art freak
Guess what’s happening today? Yes, more studying and design work, ergo, more coffee. I think I’m getting an ulcer for Christmas this year. But coffee has become a necessity for the survival of graphic design. Anyways, I’m having Tegan go with me. We will be studying for our art history class. She’s a painting major so she actually understands this crap about Byzantine and Impressionism art; I’m thankfully just good at memorization of the artists, paintings and dates. She has her paint-stained shirt on and sketchbook on hand, so I thought it would be fitting to take her upstairs to work and drink coffee in the art gallery. I’m not a fan of the coffee; it’s got some extra healthy taste to it, but it keeps me going.
S M Tu W Th F S
The type at Signs of Life has simple typefaces that are quiet and not too loud or distracting for the artists who like to go there to sketch, enjoy coffee and explore the upstairs art gallery. The gallery signs use Arial Bold, a simple sans serif. Signs of Life also utilizes the typeface Century Gothic for “espresso”.
My medium of choice: pencil and latté.
MEGAN
STARBUCKS
thursday sorority girl
My skinny, non-fat latté is totes delish.
A bold, Clarendon typeface—which is clean and elegant—helps to attract the sorority girl type.
S M Tu W Th F S
Starbucks typography attracts a certain audience. The type is directed toward individuals who are willing to pay for customization. Starbucks writes the names of the customers name on the cup and check off what all is in the coffee. They also use label makers to create labels for spices for further customization of your coffee.
Today is totally social. Like, totally. I’m with
me to bring some Bailey’s. Megan orders
begin wanting to be hit by a bus. Instead
Megan, my Tri-Delt friend. She has “oodles”
herself a cutesy little tall, non-fat, latté with
of walking out of the shop and jumping in
of things to tell me. I can’t really stand her
extra whipped cream. I order a grandé
the street, I secretly put some Bailey’s in
but she’s one of those high school friends
coffee. Megan is the most typical sorority
my coffee underneath the table and out of
you can’t seem to get rid of. I’m thinking this
girl in her Ugg boots, leggings, white
sight. Megan was too self-involved listening
coffee trip to Starbucks just might require
v-neck, and scarf. She begins to talk and I
to herself talk that she didn’t even notice.
And all was well.
JOHN
TEAPOURO TEA & ESPRESSO
friday businessman
I’m working at my internship today. It’s a very causal and chill little design place off 11th and Mass. John, my boss, and I head down to Teapouro Tea & Espresso for a coffee break. He likes the tea there. I always order the same in hopes he’ll like me a little more for it. I really like their coffee but if getting further in the graphics world takes one chai tea a week, then I’m more than willing. I always see a lot of Mass street businesspeople at Teapouro. All the suits are intimidating. Good thing the boss is there to protect me.
“All the suits are intimidating.”
S M Tu W Th F S The typography at Teapouro is a really bold font that has a bubbliness to it. There is also a leafy font that is more directed towards the teas in Teapouro. The espresso menu, though, is a bold sans serif font that has the typeface of a typical cafĂŠ. I think that the typeface reflects the businessman because they are relaxed typefaces but still serious enough for a businessman who needs a break from work.
All play, no work.
JACK
saturday
J&S COFFEE
elderlies
disturbance
Today should be a great day for me. Saturday’s
even that special of a number. Ugh. I’m sure you’re
I don’t have school, no work, I’ll get to hang out
wondering why I don’t just get coffee with him later.
all day, and the best part: I get to sleep in. I love
To answer that: the old fool goes to bed at noon.
Saturday’s. Usually. This Saturday though, just
I pick him up from the home and we head to J&S.
happens to be my grandpa’s birthday. Guess who
Today he’s wearing his elastic, high-waisted stretch
has to hang out with him? Yep, that’s right, I do.
pants, grandpa sweater, and accompanied by his
And guess what time he wakes up? Five in the
cane. Awesome. We order coffee and my morning
morning. The sun has got nothing on my grandpa.
grumpiness starts to wear off. And then I start to enjoy
So Grandpa Jack wants coffee and he wants to
the rest of my chat with gramps. Plus he was the first
be joined by little Danielle for his 78th. It’s not
one to buy my coffee all week. What a sweetie.
S M Tu W Th F S
Let me get my teeth out before I sip this coffee.
There is little text used at J&S but the text there is the handwritten menu, along with Copperplate typefaced labels, and a logo that uses the typeface Disturbance. The type attracts an older crowd because it is simple, straightforward, and purposeful.
Thank you to the following coffee shops: Z’s Divine Espresso, Java Break, Dunn Bros, Signs of Life, Starbucks, Teapouro Tea & Espresso, and J&S Coffee. Also, thank you to my roommate Libby Richardson for dedicating her time by modeling for each personality in Cliché Café. The camera used for this project was a Canon Powershot SD.
Citations: zsdivine.com thejavabreak.com dunnbros.com signsoflifegallery.com starbucks.com jandscoffee.com
Typefaces: Berthold Akzidenz Grotesk Rockwell Comic Sans Didot Helvetica Century Gothic Clarendon ITC Officina Serif Disturbance Copperplate
Danielle Marie Aldrich Public Typography Designer as Author // Fall 2010 Patrick Dooley The University of Kansas