Cherries restaurant branding
In the small town of Stone Ridge, New York, an old-school ice cream shop has been reimagined with serious creative firepower. The Working Assembly, a New York-based branding studio, took on the challenge of turning a nostalgic neighborhood staple into a fully realized brand system—one that feels both familiar and freshly minted.
The result is Cherries: a playful, loud, and visually magnetic brand that channels classic Americana without falling into cliché. Rooted in the warmth of roadside diners and soft serve stands, the design work elevates that nostalgia into something sharper and more commercially agile.
The Working Assembly handled everything from brand strategy and visual identity to interior graphics, packaging design, and web presence. The goal wasn’t just to make Cherries look good. It was to make it scalable—from roadside icon to retail-ready product.
The Cherries logotype is a clean, confident script that nods to vintage signage without feeling dusty. It’s supported by bold, geometric type and a saturated color palette that bounces between classic reds and contemporary pastels. Checkerboard patterns, punchy copywriting, and irreverent illustrations round out the toolkit.
One of the most notable elements is the Cherries mascot—a grinning, limb-wielding fruit character that appears across merch, menus, signage, and packaging. Each version of the mascot adopts a new persona: grilling burgers, snapping selfies, holding balloons. These flexible visual motifs make the identity not just recognizable but expandable.
The packaging system leans into retail with clarity. Candy, soft serve toppings, and other take-home goods are decked out in vibrant graphics and bold typography, echoing retro snack packaging with a sharp modern polish.
Beyond the visuals, what makes this project sing is its strategic clarity. The Working Assembly didn’t just redesign for aesthetics. They built a system that honors Cherries’ local roots while opening the door to larger ambitions. Whether it’s franchising, e-commerce, or packaged goods, the brand is set up to travel.
While the visual identity is rich and memorable, the brand story could stretch further. There’s an emotional thread—the revival of a local favorite—that could be more deeply woven into the messaging. A more robust narrative would give the brand longer legs and deeper resonance, especially as it grows beyond its original location.
Cherries is a standout example of how to modernize a nostalgic F&B concept without diluting its soul. It captures the emotional texture of the past and sharpens it for today’s audiences—on shelves, on feeds, and in real life. It’s a masterclass in how visual identity, verbal language, and brand experience can work together to turn a small-town ice cream shop into something much bigger.
Credits
Agency: The Working Assembly
Location: Stone Ridge, NY
