Rebranding New York's Most Historic Market

My relationship with the Essex Street Market began in 2015 when I started working with the Lower East Side Partnership (BID). The organization was entering into an MOU with NYCEDC with a focus on promotions and programming. A bulk of the partnership was to take their existing brand standards and create a diverse package of collateral–from refreshed and friendly facility wayfinding to a collection of sub-brands for recurring events. The process, while messy at times gave me an understanding of the shopping community and how they interact (or didn’t) with design.

One of the first images I shot at Essex (Street) Market during week 1 of my work at the Lower East Side Partnership (BID).

Pushing the 2015 brand refresh to the limit. Intentionally skewed (type) and

Talk&Taste Evenings at Essex Street Market, one of three sub-brands created to build partnerships with New York City food professionals and leverage attendance for free, low-cost community events occurring at Essex Market.

[FreshBites]

With a few years of experience and the creation of a handful of brand packages for vendors in the market space, focus shifted to revitalizing the voice for its transition into Essex Crossing. The move from 120 to 88 Essex was a city-sponsored development project [more ]

that promised a unique opportunity to vendors who were much deserving of a space that was retrofitted for modern small businesses. 

NYCEDC began the process with Tobias Frere-Jones who performed arduous research for the creation the “Essex Market” typeface, primarily inspired by neon signage from an original public market building.

As an enormous (piece) of the project was at (in the works), myself and the team at LESP revisited the history of the market and our work with vendors and the shopping community. Years working in the facility and more recent community visioning sessions, we came to the understanding that Essex Street Market was known more as “Essex Market” and even to long-time locals as just “the market.”

As a trained designer I knew the (focus) was more about tone and accessibility. Readability in English, Spanish, and Chinese are of key importance.

Readability
therefore simplicity and visibility for all
Appealing to a new consumer while recognizable to the returning customer.
Focus on programming
Focus on community