SEVEN GRAND

Putting people first and whiskey second at Seven Grand

After 15 years, Seven Grand, a neighborhood bar known for their whiskey with locations in Austin, Denver, Los Angeles, and San Diego, sought a refreshed identity and strategy that better reflected their brand’s true story and core. With a decline in whiskey drinkers and a need to appeal to younger drinkers, Seven Grand needed to redefine the public perception that Seven Grand is a traditional whiskey bar, with a gentleman’s club feel. We collaborated with Seven Grand to evolve the brand while staying true to its roots and values.

Challenge

Redefine Seven Grand as more than a “traditional whiskey bar” without understating their expertise in whiskey. Define and celebrate the key selling points beyond whiskey to paint a holistic picture of what makes the bar so worthwhile.

Solution

Experience Seven Grand, survey the guests, and speak with key stakeholders (from bartenders to the CEO) to gain an accurate understanding of how Seven Grand started, how it evolved, and where it is now. Bring the original inspiration, vision, and values back to the forefront. Find an angle that exemplifies whiskey expertise but embraces non-whisley drinkers. Finally, create a visual identity that reflects this new strategy, and embodies the bar’s warmth, ambience, and eccentricities.

DEER EVOLUTION

At the core of Seven Grand’s identity is the iconic stag, originally inspired by a historic Irish bar. We partnered with illustrator Gaspar Costa to reimagine the deer logo, using its original shape as a foundation while giving it a more refined, hand-drawn look. The result is a simplified yet expressive mark that captures the essence of the brand’s craft and character. The new illustration enhances versatility, ensuring it stands strong across signage, merchandise, and digital platforms.

LOCATION PERSONALIZATION

Each Seven Grand location has a unique atmosphere, shaped by its city, its guests, and its history. To reflect this, we designed customized badge variations for each location, incorporating subtle city-specific elements that make each mark distinct while keeping the overall branding cohesive. Whether in Austin, Denver, Los Angeles, or San Diego, the 7G badge gives each space a tailored identity without straying from the brand’s core aesthetic.

In addition to badges, we pulled pattern inspiration directly from the interior design of each location, creating custom plaids unique to each location. These patterns were incorporated into the brand’s visual system in order to use across all design materials within the location, reinforcing a strong sense of place and familiarity.

Los Angeles

San Diego

Austin

Denver

Fireside has been an exceptional partner in helping us achieve our goal of refreshing and re-moderinizing one of our most storied brands. Their collaborative approach made the entire process smooth and even fun. We appreciate how they listened to our needs and worked alongside our team every step of the way.