Electric Coffee House
One of my first jobs was in coffee, and ever since then there’s always been a part of my soul that wishes I could just live life as a barista again. In order to scratch that itch, I was beyond humbled to be invited to come alongside my friend Christina Chatha to build her coffee shop from the ground up!
For over a year I worked to concept and produce what became Electric Coffee House in Sumner, WA (a suburb in the Greater Seattle Area). The doors to the space officially opened in the fall of 2019 and they’ve been a huge success ever since!
In order to bring this shop to life, I built a team around me which consisted of Elena Hart (Copywriter) & Alejandro Rodriguez (Designer), while I maintained the duel role of Creative Director + Producer/Project Manager. From start to finish, soups to nuts, we crafted every aspect of the brand & space. I’ve broken out some key aspects below.
The Brand
Electric Coffee House opened with a simple message: Drink Coffee, Be Electric.
From the start we knew we wanted to craft a brand that was both recognizable and simple. Working with Alejandro, we created a logo + lockup that is bold and in your face, while still maintaining a level of minimalism that would be easy to replicate. The logo also emits an industrial vibe, which was extended through the raw materials we used throughout the actual space & construction.
The Space
From the very beginning I wanted to ensure that Electric stood out within its local community. The majority of local coffee shops in the PNW follow a standard template, one that creates a cozy & rustic vibe…nothing like what I wanted Electric to be. In order to set an accurate north star I crafted moodboards showing who we weren’t and who we wanted to be:
After I had the owners sign off, I hit the gas. From working with the General Contractor to ensure the space was built with our aesthetic vision in mind, to personally sourcing all the furniture and accents that would live within. Every aspect between those walls quickly became my passion project, which led to a space I can truly be proud of.
Throughout the build there were numerous delays, which led to some on the fly changes, but at the end of the day the doors opened into a space that is unlike anything in the surrounding area.
The Details
Because we were building a brand and space from the ground up, we were given numerous opportunities to truly express ourselves through thoughtful details. We took this seriously and worked with amazing vendors to create custom made steel menus, a handmade neon sign and canvas flag, some select items of merch, and more.
The Food
Serving the typical coffee menu wasn’t enough for Electric. While we of course serve some amazing coffee from Proud Mary Coffee Roasters, the menu is also home to some amazing dishes you wouldn’t typically find at a local coffee shop.
From tacos and burritos, to churros and draft beer, there’s something for everyone!
The Feed
And lastly, from the start we wanted to ensure that guests would organically want to share on their social media. Word of mouth is one of the most powerful forms of marketing for local small businesses, so creating a space that would easily be captured and shared via social media was top of mind!
To encourage this ,we carefully curated our own Instagram feed to serve as a point of inspiration for others to take photos and to showcase our personality.
It worked! It’s been so rewarding to see how many guests eagerly share photos of them in the space and express how they enjoyed their visit!
While I’m eternally jealous that I don’t get to live nearby and be a regular, I can’t wait to keep seeing this shop grow! Hands down, Electric was one of my favorite personal projects to date and I honestly can’t wait until I stumble on the next project that allows me to wear even more hats than this one!
Huge thanks to some of the amazing vendors that helped me bring this shop to life!