REPEAL THE TEAL!

New Logo and New Look for the Wedge

By Elizabeth Archerd, Member Services Director

Notice the signs sporting our new logo on the store and in the parking lot? It is just the beginning. We are proceeding with a long-planned project to bring a new, fresh look to the Wedge. The changes will be rolled out in stages in the coming months.

What was the impetus for the change? Hiring new GM Lindy Bannister, last year, provided an opportunity to look at our co-op with new eyes. Over the past year we have thought quite a bit about what makes The Wedge special and how we express that visually, in the store experience, and in how we relate with our local food community. In addition, any building that hosts over 2,500 guests every day needs periodic renewal, so there was no question about whether change was coming, just what it would look like.

The essence of an organization should be expressed in the logo. One of the things that so excites Lindy about the Wedge is our direct connection with farmers and producers. Co-op staff make visits to farms and ranches throughout the area every growing season, and Co-op Partners Warehouse is becoming the premier distributor of locally-produced food in the region. "We've smelled the dirt this food grew in!" she once exclaimed, capturing the passion that drives Wedge staff and members. That was what we wanted our logo to express.

Setting out to design the Wedge's third logo in 32 years, we sought a classic look that won't soon become dated. An enduring style with soft, food-inspired colors and a compelling visual statement of what we value was foremost on our minds, in addition to practical concerns about how the logo works in a variety of formats.

We were remarkably fortunate that a local designer with extensive retail experience was also a long-time co-op member. Jim Handrigan, of 5 Oceans Design (now of Handrigan Design), immediately felt like a member of the team. He understands from the inside what is special and important about the Wedge. Along with Jim, the 5 Oceans team that created the logo included Cari Luton and Amy Pressnall.

Here's how the 5 Oceans team described the logo we adopted:

A weather vane lets us know which way the wind is blowing. The Wedge is a leader in the natural foods world -- people look to it to see the direction of healthy living. The rooster announces the "new day" and is pointing to the W (Wedge) as the direction to follow. The reference to a farm icon (weather vane) helps reinforce the idea of supporting local agriculture. A rich pumpkin color enhances the Arts & Crafts style treatment of the logo.

As Barth Anderson, of Research and Development, puts it. "This logo expresses our allegiance to the farmer."