Jane’s Beer Store
Case Study
The Challenge
Jane’s Beer Store needed a brand overhaul and web presence after a change in ownership. The new owners, who were designers and accountants by trade, wanted to keep the store’s original logo and aesthetic.
The Scope
When I stepped in, Jane’s did not have a website. They wanted a site that would list inventory by Brewery, as well as display their (new) daily Facebook updates so customer’s could be kept up-to-date on stock. They also wanted to include an “Employee Pick of the Month,” to underscore the idea that Jane’s is local and their employees are knowledgeable and friendly.
In addition to the new website, Jane’s wanted business cards and graphics for t-shirts, bags, and bottle-openers to sell in-store. It was essential that the original logo was used for this project, so as to emphasize stability during a time of management change.
My Role
I designed and built a website for Jane’s; hand-coding a custom Wordpress theme and creating a back-end experience so that employees could easily log in and make changes to the brewery listing or the Employee Pick of the Month. Customers are also able to send messages directly to staff, and the website automatically pulls in and re-formats all of the business’ Facebook updates. The website work also included new store photography.
I created new business cards for all staff, as well as leave-behind cards announcing the new website. I worked with local print shops to create branded t-shirts, bottle bags, and bottle openers. Lastly, I worked with a local artist to paint the logo and a graphic on the store’s front window.
What I Learned
This was my first project as a freelancer where I truly felt like I was a “design team of one.” It was a great experience working with vendors and having complete creative control over a project. I had to learn a lot of new coding skills to make the website work, but am proud to say that my code has held up ever since. This is also the project where I really learned the value of keeping a process document for each project I work on. Keeping detailed records of how I completed each project is invaluable, especially when you need to come back to a project after a few years have passed.
Results
Jane’s Beer Store saw an immediate uptick in social media interaction, and the website is regularly used by customers for direct communication to staff. The bottle bags and t-shirts are good sellers, and anytime I see one in the wild I feel a sense of pride.
