FIVE OH EIGHT (508)

508 is a food journey inspired by the immigration story of Follo-Violano family, otherwise known as my family. This lunch and dinner club honors her journey from the small town nestled in the mountains of Naples where my ancestors lived, across the Atlantic via boat, to the West Philadelphia home: house number 508. My grandparents have inspired two generations of food-loving family members. A chef, a home-brewer, a charcoal grill master, a young cheesemonger, and many masters of family meals. Rich Italian heritage and Philly Phunk mix together at 508 to create a unique food palette and an inviting dining experience. The goal was to capture that essence in 508.

SKETCHING AND DEVELOPMENT

Sketching and research is a huge part of my creative process, especially for a project that was so personal for me. I spent a significant amount of time doing and re-doing thumbnails and writing my personal critiques of these thumbnails. This is what helped me to narrow down the elements to the most crucial and informative details.

ASSET DEVELOPMENT

The logo for 508 went through a long journey and through many different iterations. It was a challenge to find a design that related to old world Italy, mid-century Philadelphia, immigration, and food all at the same time. I came to conclusion that one logo just wouldn’t cut it and decided to develop a small set of logos that can work together, but also stand alone in their different forms.

MENU DESIGN

I really wanted to push the idea of immigration, but also keep in style with the restaurant/food club concept of the brand. I found that clip boards were a nice way to tie in the aspect of immigration by referencing tickets while providing a nice form to contain the smaller menu.