Gumption Coffee was founded by an award-winning team of female entrepreneurs with a bold vision: help customers take on the world, one coffee cup at a time. With Australian roots and a cult-like following, Gumption’s founders Hazel de los Reyes and Clare Lim had eyes on expansion in the U.S. After opening a roastery in Industry City, Brooklyn, the next step was a flagship location in Manhattan. But first, they needed a brand and retail experience that would bring Gumption to life for a new audience.

Lippincott partnered with the founders to evolve their beloved brand and brew a wholly unique customer experience that would set Gumption apart in a saturated coffee landscape. For Gumption Coffee to be successful, the brand needed to capture the true essence of Clare and Hazel, and the ethos that they have cultivated: Gumption is more than just a word. From Hazel’s humble origins of brewing coffee from a rewired popcorn machine to eventually being named Australian Barista Champion and Australian Cupping Champion, Gumption is a story of ingenuity, tenacity, and boldness.
 
The new visual identity is designed to be eye-catching and inclusive, a fresh departure from the minimal aesthetic that’s now commonplace. The custom logotype retains the brand’s quirkiness while elevating it to signal premium coffee and expertise. The negative spaces in the G and the O resemble milk swirling into coffee and symbolize the inner “gumption” that the brand’s coffee gives to its customers. The bold brand colors were selected to drive differentiation from the muted tones often found in the industry, while also working well across both the physical space and digital/print applications. The patterns, featured on the brand’s coffee bags and merchandise, symbolizes the journey Gumption’s coffee takes before every pour—starting on the farm as leaves, and then berries, beans, and, finally, in its ground form.
 
The store design is distinct and playful, playing up sophisticated coffee cues. From the attention-grabbing storefront, to the wall of comics engagingly telling the founders’ story, to the signature wave centerpiece signaling the rush felt from a first sip of coffee, the space is thoughtfully designed to elevate human connection while serving customers quickly with their award-winning coffee.

Gumption Coffee officially opened its doors in midtown Manhattan in October 2020. With its new brand, a retail presence defined by a bold design and signature in-store touch points, and growing e-commerce presence, Gumption Coffee is poised to grow its footprint in New York City and beyond.

“The new logo doubles down on the quirkiness and expands on the potential of the original logo with a delightfully unique new typographic voice that defies today’s minimalist trends.” –Armin Vit, Brand New

“The Manhattan location looks like a lot of fun as well and I love how nicely the brand colors play out large in the physical world. Overall, this is simply enjoyable and serves as a great way to give this small coffee shop a fighting chance against the vast competition in the New York coffee scene.” –Armin Vit, Brand New

“Not only did Lippincott fully grasp what drives us to do what we do, the team also wholly assumed the fire in our bellies. They have become the fiercest champions of our cause. This synergy is evident in the cohesive visual system they created, which in turn inspires us every day and propels us further on our mission.” Hazel de los Reyes, Founder, Gumption Coffee