FEATURE LIGHTING NAME
BY JEFF BYWOOTEN AUTHOR
THAT ILLUMINATING AROMA Brewing up a new set of illuminated signs for cozy coffee shops.
All Photos: Bauer Sign & Lighting.
C
o f f e e - E at s - G o o d t i m e s.” This feel-good, welcoming sentiment also happens to be the branding slogan for Fiddleheads Coffee Co., a familyowned specialty coffee company with multiple cafés and artisan bakeries located across the state of Wisconsin. Their slogan showcases what they offer as well as what they’re passionate about—great-quality coffee, tasty baked goods, delicious entrees, friendly atmosphere, etc. “We have been operating for almost twenty-five years with a philosophy of being part of the community and sharing special moments with our customers,” says Jovana Cubric, vice president of operations at Fiddleheads Coffee. “Like a kitchen is the heart of home, we look forward to being the heart of the community we are located in.” The first Fiddleheads Coffee shop started up in Thiensville, Wisconsin back in 1996, and due to its popularity, the owners have expanded to several other cafés across the state since then. Each Fiddleheads Coffee location boasts a unique interior design that complements the host building and its surrounding community while portraying the shop’s brand through various details and materials.
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Recently ownership made the decision to open two new locations in the state, both in pretty prominent spots. The first of the new cafés opened up late last year in a refurbished 1920s Mediterranean storefront with a spacious outdoor patio in the historic section of Shorewood, Wisconsin. This new location gives a nod to the look and feel of an old-world coffee house. “For a cozy and warm-feeling experience, walk inside the café where earthy tones complement the white marble tables, and our friendly baristas are serving our classic espresso drinks, small batch coffee, and fresh bakery and breakfast and lunch items,” explains Cubric. This past February, Fiddleheads Coffee also made the move into the downtown Milwaukee scene with its new “flagship” venue located on the ground floor of the brand-new, twenty-five-story, all-glass-exterior Milwaukee BMO Tower. This premier, multi-tenant combination of office workspace and retail shops was developed by Irgens Development Partners, LLC, and is currently adding a metropolitan, big-city style to the Milwaukee skyline. “From soft seating nooks to highend finishes, workspace areas, countertop seating, and visually intriguing
design, the in-house café experience at Milwaukee BMO Tower is sure to please both office tenants and walk-in guests,” says Cubric. While these two new locations have distinct differences, they do share similar exterior and interior signage styles—dimensional identity lettering, neon open signs, and an illuminated wall-mounted sign. Placing an Order for Signs Bauer Sign & Lighting Company, a full-service sign company with facilities in New Berlin, Wisconsin, was selected to fabricate and install various illuminated and non-illuminated signage for these two new Fiddleheads Coffee locations. The coffee shop is one of their legacy accounts (the company already completing a variety of prior work at several of their other locations). Dave Salkin, an account executive at Bauer Sign & Lighting, was searching through social media for possible project opportunities they could take on when he noticed Fiddleheads Coffee was posting construction updates about their two upcoming shops. “I happened to talk to them at the right time,” remarks Salkin. “They were just starting the process of looking for a vendor to fulfill their signage needs, and April 2021
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