Brand build and launch/Volstead’s Emporium
Turning A Hidden Entrance Into An Open Secret.
Volstead’s Emporium chose a difficult path for a new bar: no website, no social channels and no exterior sign at launch. We helped turn that constraint into a complete physical brand experience, connecting identity, interior details, menus and custom environmental work so the concept could earn attention through discovery and word of mouth.
- Client
- Volstead’s Emporium
- Restaurant context
- New independent concept / Uptown Minneapolis / Opened 2015
- Role
- Brand direction, visual identity, menus, print collateral, environmental design and interior consultation
- Solutions
- Marketing
- Engagement
- Brand build and launch
- Primary outcome
- More Visible / Memorable
The restaurant
A Speakeasy Built Around The Pleasure Of Discovery.
Volstead’s Emporium opened in 2015 as an independent prohibition-era bar hidden behind an unmarked alley entrance in Uptown Minneapolis. Named for Minnesota politician Andrew Volstead, the concept invited guests into a theatrical world shaped by 1900s Parisian Art Nouveau, American Art Deco and details drawn from 1920s New York, Paris and Prague.
The business was designed for guests who wanted an alternative to a conventional nightlife experience. Finding the door was part of the appeal. Once inside, every surface and object had to reward that discovery and make the room feel convincing enough to remember and recommend.
What was happening
When The Experience Becomes The Invitation.
Most new hospitality concepts rely on visibility. Volstead’s deliberately removed the usual tools. At launch, the bar had no website, social media presence, digital marketing or exterior signage. Word of mouth would have to bring people to the alley, and the experience would have to give them a reason to bring someone else back.
That made the physical environment the marketing system. A generic logo placed inside a themed room would not be enough. The identity, entry sequence, wallpaper, lighting, stained glass, menus, coasters and printed pieces all had to belong to the same world without turning the concept into a costume.
What we saw
The Brand Could Not Stop At The Logo.
We saw that the brand and the guest experience were the same assignment. With no digital introduction, guests would judge the concept through the sequence of finding the entrance, crossing the threshold, reading the room and handling the menu.
The work needed historical references without becoming a literal period reproduction. By combining Art Nouveau ornament, Art Deco geometry and a restrained material palette, we could create a distinctive visual language that felt collected over time and consistent at every scale.
What we changed
One Story Built Into The Entire Room.
01 / Concept and visual direction
Working with the owners, we defined a visual direction that treated secrecy as part of the guest experience. The identity had to feel specific to Volstead’s and credible within the room while still giving the new concept a clear, recognizable signature.
02 / Identity and guest materials
We developed the logo, color palette, menus, business cards and coasters as a connected family. These pieces carried the character of the concept into the objects guests touched, giving the bar a consistent voice without relying on conventional advertising.
03 / Interior and environmental details
The visual system moved into the space through custom wallpaper with gold optical overlays, a stained-glass inset, custom light fixtures and broad interior design consultation. Each element helped bridge the decorative curves of Art Nouveau with the sharper structure of Art Deco.
04 / Discovery and word of mouth
Because the concept intentionally avoided a public-facing digital presence at launch, the room itself had to create conversation. The hidden entry made discovery feel earned; the branded environment then gave guests a memorable story to share.
How the pieces connected
The Experience Became The Marketing.
- Concept positioning
- →Identity
- →Interior
- →Menus + details
- →Word of mouth
- →Demand + press
Each part of the experience reinforced the next. The hidden entrance created anticipation. The identity established the tone. The interior made the premise believable. Menus, coasters and custom details carried that story through the visit. The more complete the experience felt, the easier it was for guests and local media to describe it to someone else.
The impact
A Secret That Traveled.
The concept quickly generated the kind of attention its launch strategy depended on. The most important result was the connection between the premise and the response.
Guest demand
Lines out the door and around the block
Archived project records describe strong opening demand driven through word of mouth.
Earned visibility
Local coverage
The concept received a Mpls.St.Paul Magazine cover feature and a profile in the Star Tribune’s Variety section.
Guest recall
A cohesive physical experience
Identity, menus, coasters, wallpaper, lighting and interior details gave guests one consistent story to remember and share.
Continued relevance
Still operating in 2026
The original Uptown concept remains active, with reservations and regular live programming supporting the guest experience today.
Volstead’s could remain difficult to find because the experience gave people something worth finding — and something specific to talk about after they left.
What’s next
Mystery Adapted To A Modern Guest Journey.
Volstead’s remains active at its original Uptown location in 2026. The business now supports reservations, a newsletter, menus and a calendar of live music, comedy and burlesque through its own digital channels. Those later additions were not part of the original engagement, but they show how a clear physical identity can remain recognizable as the guest journey evolves.
Explore More Impact Stories
Build a more profitable restaurant.
Give Guests A Story They Will Carry Out The Door.
A memorable restaurant brand lives in the full experience: how guests find it, what they feel when they enter and what they remember well enough to share. When those details work together, the restaurant becomes easier to describe, recommend and revisit.
Let’s Talk Growth