i. NICKEL & BEAN BRAND BOOK ii. EXPLORING THE CORE PURPOSE OF THE BRAND iii. TONE + VOICE iv. LOOK + FEEL v. A COFFEE STORY vi. TAGLINE vii. HEADLINES
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i. NICKEL & BEAN BRAND BOOK
a. THE WAY WE TALK ABOUT THIS PLACE AND WHAT IT MEANS More than a coffee shop, Nickel & Bean is a gathering place. It is a destination in the town of Lexington, where the community comes together for awakening, inspiration, and collaboration, and everyone has a space to call their own. Though the walls and the decor are urban and new, the building is filled with rich history and stories, and meaning is shared every day over a cup of hot coffee. Designed as a way to revitalize a town that we love, Nickel & Bean is a love letter to family and the hometowns that we share.
b. AUDIENCE Nickel & Bean is a place of belonging. Everyone who wants a warm beverage in their hand and space to call their own is welcome here. There are three essential things that Nickel & Bean offers its audience: a sense of place and community pride, a sense of belonging, and a really great cup of coffee. These things—along with the beautiful meaning and story behind the brand—should be built into every piece of content that Nickel & Bean shares.
ii. EXPLORING THE CORE PURPOSE OF THE BRAND
WHO IS NICKEL & BEAN?
WHAT IS NICKEL & BEAN’S MISSION?
At its core, Nickel & Bean is a family business with the desire to pay
To gather and inspire our community by offering great coffee,
homage to our hometown, inspired to create a gathering place where
wholesome provisions, and a space designed to bring people together.
memories are celebrated and connections are shared.
(Your mission defines the present state of your organization: what you do, how you do it, and whom you do it for. Humility and brevity are its chief virtues.)
WHAT DOES NICKEL & BEAN BELIEVE? We believe in shared history—of family, friends, and our community—
WHAT IS NICKEL & BEAN’S VISION?
and the magic and joy of coming together over so much more than
To be the go-to coffee destination in the Midwest, where people crave
a cup of coffee. We believe that even in long winters, we provide a
the energy inside our walls and the stories and shared memories that
place that offers the warmth of familiar faces, a hot cup, and a gentle
live beyond them.
reminder that this quaint village really is the best place to call home.
(The vision is what you hope to be in 5 years. It’s an aspirational statement of purpose, a picture of your optimal state. Its chief virtue is imagination.)
HOW WILL NICKEL & BEAN SUCCEED? We will succeed by creating an environment that makes people feel
WHAT IS NICKEL & BEAN’S PROMISE?
welcome and inspired, offering a menu that awakens and sustains,
To cultivate a place where history is preserved, but the warm aroma of
and enhancing the community by sparking conversation and sharing
new ideas and connections are always celebrated.
stories about the people and the town that we love.
(Your promise is the commitment you make to your customers: this is what they come to rely on you for. Its chief virtue is credibility.)
WHAT ARE NICKEL & BEAN’S VALUES? Stories are sacred here. Once you’re here, everyone is family. Everything is rooted in community. Nothing cures like a hot cup of coffee. Coffee invites collaboration, let’s begin. We built this for you—welcome home.
A NOTE ABOUT THE NAME NICKEL & BEAN: Named after our chief cultivators, Nicky and Shellie Wong—a pair of true hometown sweethearts—the name pays homage to family, community, the beans that we brew, and the fortitude of all three. Named after Nicky, Nickel is a play on words and a nod to our design aesthetic—a careful contrast of industrial and mined materials with organic and harvested accents. As the nickel—or alloy—of our brand, Nicky always has a smile on his face and doesn’t know a single stranger wherever he goes. Named after Shellie, whose nickname has always been “Bean,” Bean is also quite literally the bean-shaped seeds of the coffee shrub. As the mother of what we use to brew every single cup, Bean is the energy and life force behind all that we do. As an homage to this, simply pour yourself a cup.
iii. TONE + VOICE
THESE ARE THE FIVE KEYWORDS, OR PERSONALITY TRAITS, THAT EMBODY NICKEL & BEAN. WE’LL ALWAYS KEEP THEM IN MIND WHEN WRITING AND SPEAKING TO OUR LOYAL COMMUNITY.
GROUNDED.
ENERGETIC.
Nickel & Bean isn’t just a coffee shop—it’s so deeply rooted to family,
Like the coffee that we serve, our voice is upbeat, infused with vitality,
community, and inspiration, that we hesitate to even call it “a coffee
and engaging.
shop,” instead it’s a coffee story. Our voice should express this sense
INSPIRATIONAL.
of awe towards family roots—a deep and essential part of who we are.
GRATEFUL.
There’s a well-kept secret about coffee shops that everyone knows but not many talk about: they’re not really about coffee. They are
Nickel & Bean is a love letter—to siblings, family, Lexington, and to
the office of the 21st century—built for meeting, thinking, working,
a really great cup of coffee. Gratitude is the essential piece of any
sharing, reading, studying, and always learning. Because of this, our
love letter that makes one feel valued and loved. As pioneers of a
voice intends to make our community feel like they have the energy
revitalized Lexington, our voice expresses reverence, admiration, and
and power to act on their biggest dreams...or sometimes just tackle
appreciation for the community and people who have made us who
another cold winter day or Tuesday at the office. Utilizing the stories
we are.
of our community members are a helpful tool to do this an authentic and meaningful way.
WELCOMING. This is everyone’s coffee story (except for the messy people to whom Stacie will show the door), so our voice is always warm, inclusive, calm, and soothing.
iv. LOOK + FEEL
THE LOOK AND FEEL OF A BRAND IS A HELPFUL WAY TO MAINTAIN CONSISTENCY AND ENSURE THAT THE VISUAL AESTHETICS ALWAYS MATCH THE HEART OF OUR STORY. THESE FOUR WORDS WILL HELP TO ACHIEVE THIS:
URBAN.
ARTISTIC.
Visibly bringing an invigorating new spirit to Lexington, the vibe
With a nod to the imaginative and bold decorating of big-city coffee
is modern and sophisticated, with a bit of an urban feel in a small
houses, the space has a creative flair that makes it stand out in town—
town. Old is new again, and it’s easy to make historied, vintage, and
in the very best way.
meaningful relics feel hip and emotionally stirring.
PIONEERING.
NOSTALGIC.
At the same time that we are protectors and preservers of a
While still fresh and modern, there’s a quality of nostalgia here for
town that we love, we look forward to create new places for growth and
days gone by. Old yearbooks, photos, and stories can be found in
community; that spirit is an active part of Nickel & Bean’s feel: a deep
the decor and harken back to the people and memories who built
reverence for the past, with a steady eye on what lies ahead.
this town.
a. TYPOGRAPHY MRS. EAVES: ROMAN
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
AVENIR NEXT CONDENSED: BOLD
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
b. COLOR PANTONE 2380 C: 90 M: 65 Y: 38 K:45 HTML: 535766
PANTONE WARM GREY 11 C: 30 M: 17 Y: 8 K:51 HTML: 7A7D81
c. LOGO
SUBMARKS
v. A COFFEE STORY
a. UNDER 50 WORD STORY More than a coffee shop, Nickel & Bean is a gathering place. It is a destination in the town of Lexington, where the community comes together for awakening, inspiration, collaboration, and of course coffee. Everyone is welcome here and has a space to call their own.
b. 100 WORD STORY This is a coffee story. It’s a story about family, community, and the places we call home. Nickel & Bean is a gathering place—a destination for inspiration, collaboration, and of course coffee. We hope that our walls will be filled with the people who have made this town what it is today. More than just a coffee shop, we hope to be storytellers and historians who honor the talents and treasurers of Lexington. We celebrate the people and families that have written its story. This is our love letter to our family, your family, and the hometowns that we share.
c. LONGFORM STORY THE FAMILY. This is a coffee story. It’s a story about family, community, and the places we call home. We created Nickel & Bean as a place for
will always remind us of hope, and the role that it plays in so many other lives—collaboration, gathering, focus, awakening, ritual, and new beginnings.
gathering—a destination for inspiration, collaboration, and of course coffee—where everyone has a space to call their own. We hope that our walls will be filled with the people who have made this town what it is today. More than just purveyors of coffee, we hope to be storytellers and historians who honor the talents and treasurers of Lexington. We celebrate the people and families that have written its story. This is our love letter to our family, your family, and the hometowns that we share.
THE ORIGIN. Inspired by Nicky and Shellie Wong, their personal story holds an important piece of the Nickel & Bean history: caffeine. When Shellie went into early labor with their son, River, caffeine was the last intervention removed after 12 weeks in the NICU. It was the stimulant that was used to regulate his lungs and brain, and remind him to breathe on this own. Suddenly, an idea that would allow Nicky and Shellie to cultivate a business while growing their family—and within a community they love—had a whole new level of inspiration. Caffeine
THE COFFEE. A really great cup of coffee goes without saying, but that’s part of our story too. Beyond the best beans and wholesome provisions, we’re excited to create a space for the community where everyone feels welcome and a familiar face is never far away. It’s a place intended to spark new ideas and new connections, while still holding on to the history and the stories that make us who we are. Just what can be shared over a cup of coffee? We invite you to find out.
vi. TAGLINE
a. TAGLINE Nickel & Bean’s tagline condenses the brand’s core purpose into a memorable statement. Since the tagline is a built-in part of the brand identity assets, there is only one tagline. It’s the outward expression of the brand. It’s evocative and should be repeated throughout all assets to build brand recognition. There are two versions of the tagline:
1. “A coffee story” 2. “A coffee story, grounded by family”
vii. HEADLINES
a. HEADLINES While there is only one tagline, there are a few headlines. Headlines express values, beliefs, and emotions that help people connect with Nickel & Bean. They can appear on things like ads, web pages, social media, signage, and other marketing materials. 1. Just what can be shared over a cup of coffee? We invite you find out. 2. Not just a coffee shop, this is a coffee story 3. Your neighborhood gathering place 4. Once you’re here, everyone is family 5. Grounded by family, Rooted in community 6. Coffee invites collaboration, let’s begin 7. We built this for you—welcome home