Merrick’s Tavern
Modern Fare, Refined by Nature
The Brandywine, located just off Pennsylvania’s Main Line, needed a restaurant that reflected the pastoral romance of train travel captured within the hotel, but with an identity of its own. Merrick’s came to life as a result, leaning into Philadelphia’s rich and refined countryside.
See The
Story
What We Delivered
- Art Direction
- Brand Development
- Brand Experience Consulting
- Copywriting
- Name Development
- Photography Art Direction
- Printed Collateral
- Visual Identity
Collection
Tribute Portfolio by Marriott
If The Brandywine story harkens back to the momentum of Main Line train travel, then Merrick’s celebrates the rolling landscape and agricultural splendor travelers took in along the way.
Share in the simple pleasures
Samuel Vaughan Merrick connected Northern Philadelphians by establishing the Main Line of Pennsylvania. Named after Merrick himself, this modern tavern was built to connect guests with each other and Main Line history. The restaurant subtly tells the story of train travel in an approachable, romantic way.
With a hearty menu featuring crisp breads and heirloom vegetables, Merrick’s identity started with the feeling of being welcomed warmly into a countryside home. The menu and the voice reflect thoughtful quality and soulful craft. The pace and tone are slowed, rhythmic, and relaxed, inviting you to sink in. The concept encourages both guests and locals to escape from the hustle and bustle, and maybe make a friend along the way. The tavern moniker and setting mean there’s a convivial air and genuine camaraderie between servers and diners that is never fussy but always intentional.
Quality can be found in the details, so the visual identity for Merrick’s naturally captured the hues, craft, and ingredients that make a good thing great: on both the plate and the postcard.
Bespoke charm meets refined comfort
Merrick’s visual identity feels layered and collected. Muted tones and hand-drawn details evoke a sense of simple pleasures. Textural landscapes of the countryside set the backdrop for a warm and hearty meal. Layouts are as spacious as a view of the horizon from a traincar window, and imagery feels nostalgic.
Against the pastoral romance, the logo created for Merrick’s is decidedly industrial. There is a “salt of the earth” honesty in the letterforms that punctuates the visuals with a sense of craftsmanship. The Tulsi, or Holy Basil, icon found atop the wordmark might as easily be found garnished on a plate. The resulting identity is handsome and elegant, masculine but soft, and welcoming to all who visit.
