In spring 2019, Bedderman Lodging opened Janitor’s Closet, a retro-themed speakeasy in the lower level of their Fieldhouse Jones hotel in Chicago’s River North neighborhood. The bar is modeled after its history as an old custodial supply room within a bygone dairy depot and features vintage cleaning equipment and decor. Janitor’s Closet serves craft cocktails, seasonal beer and wines and a variety of sweet and salty empanadas. I was tasked with creating a visual identity system for this speakeasy that could be applied to various print collateral, including food and drink menus, a specials card, check takeaways, bar towels and promotional materials.
To reflect the vintage yet elegant aesthetic of Janitor’s Closet, my solution features the Resolution typeface designed by Jonathan Barnbrook, who based its letterforms on hand-drawn typography found in the murals of Northern Ireland. The drink menus are screen printed on fabric and grommet-punched to play on custodial rags that could be whipped out of a janitor’s back pocket and then hung up after use. The food menu is screen printed on chipboard and the Janitor’s Closet logo also appears on microfiber rags, a useful element for custodians and bartenders alike.
- Designer
- Alyssa Arnesen
- Screen Printer
- Nicolette Ross
- Photographer
- Dan Kelleghan
Project link
