Industry Design interiors and branding for new confectionery retail chain A Sweet Thought

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Cheshire-based Industry Design is creating the interiors for the first outlet of a new sweet shop chain,A Sweet Thought, in Bramhall, Stockport.

The consultancy was appointed for the project without a pitch, having been approached by the client in December 2010.

The project involves creating the entire interior concept, brand name and identity. Industry was briefed to create branding that ’can be easily recognisable as a large brand’, but ’with the character and charm of an old-fashioned, traditional sweet shop.’

Nigel Huxley, co-founder of A Sweet Thought, says, ’A lot of sweet shops just have basic Ikea shelves there’s no imagination. We wanted it to be fun and to feel a bit magical.’

The shop features two gondolas in the centre, creating the pick-and-mix area. Industry’s wall graphics are used in the gifting area, and the fridge is based on an Alice in Wonderland ’Drink Me’ bottle.

Michelle Smalley, graphic designer at Industry, says, ’[The client] wanted it to be more of an experience, as it’s a really big space. They wanted to it to be interactive in a way, to engage people more into different areas.

She adds, ’We wanted it to be “oldy worldy”, traditional and kitsch, but there’s also a fantasy influence. We used Alice in Wonderland and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory references, but it’s quite clean, modern and trendy with quite a limited colour palette.’

The ’loose and fun’ visual identity uses a ’kiddie-friendly font’ and orange, pink and grey colour palette, according to Smalley.

She adds, ’We used strong lighting to show certain parts of the shop, then the graphics are quite solid and monochrome, with an illustrative style.’

The marketing materials, including invitations to the opening, will launch at the end of the week. Industry is also designing the website, which is due to launch alongside the opening of A Sweet Thought on 28 May.

It is hoped that a second branch will open after four months, also in the North West.

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