The Hitching Post | Brand Identity

The Hitching Post is a cozy bar in the small but lively town of Humboldt, Kansas, with an upscale 1950’s cowboy nostalgia inspired theme. I was approached by the owner Paul Cloutier to develop a brand identity that seals the deal and attracts both locals and out-of-towners visiting.

For the logo, we arrived at a classic signpainter-style brush script—expressive, legible, and period appropriate. The wordmark is supported by a monogram in the form of a rope wrapped around a Hitching Post (don’t you love it when things work out that way?).

Paul was willing and able to invest time, love, and money into this project, which is key to making a brand that really shines. I designed a custom neon sign (expertly made by the folks at Element Ten), a hexagonal tile doorway with custom lettering (produced by American Restoration Tile), as well as many smaller items that customers interact with throughout their visit: menus, coasters, bandanas, matchbooks, and more.I also made several 1950’s cowboy themed illustrations, with several of them nodding to the local scenery. These are used on branded materials, as well as put into a pattern which was custom printed and used as wallpaper in the bathrooms (one Willie Nelson, the other Dolly Parton themed—but both gender neutral).