189 Burger is a small-town burger restaurant and craft cocktail bar along Main Street in East Aurora. They wanted eye-catching window graphics to attract more foot traffic—especially during the warmer months, when the town is popular with pedestrians and pub crawls. The design needed to highlight their craft cocktails and other alcoholic drinks.
Client’s Vision
From the Street to the Stool
The windows needed visual appeal while keeping the view open and inviting. The graphics had to connect with a broad audience—cocktail lovers, bourbon enthusiasts, wine drinkers, and those just looking for a cold one—while staying true to the brand’s rustic charm.
Process
Drinkware Connoisseur
To nail the right tone, I gathered visual references of various wine glasses, drinkware, beer bottles, and wine bottles. The client then supplied photos of their signature cocktails and two most popular bourbons—Angel’s Envy and Basil Hayden’s—both with iconic bottle shapes any bourbon drinker would recognize. Including these glasses and bottles added a touch of authenticity and helped refine the final graphics.
Top Shelf Visuals
I placed the white vinyl illustrations along the “top shelf” of the front windows to avoid obstructing the view while maximizing visibility from the sidewalk. The lineup includes a curated mix of drinkware and bottles: coupe glass, Angel’s Envy bottle, mule mug, Basil Hayden’s bottle, nosing glass, beer bottle, and a rocks glass. The collection suggests variety while staying clean and cohesive.
Challenges
Cutting It Close
Because the graphics were digitally die-cut, every line needed to meet a minimum thickness of 1/8 inch. I experimented with line weights and fine details—like the hammer marks on the mule mug—to strike the right balance between clean precision and visual character, without slipping into a cartoonish look.
Outcome
Crisp, Classy & Cocktails
The final window graphics strike a balance between subtle and striking. They reflect the restaurant’s identity, appeal to a wide range of customers, and invite passersby to stop and take a closer look. The client loved how the illustrations added personality to the space without overwhelming it—and the iconic bourbon bottles were a particularly appreciated touch.
