by Danielle Aldrich

Cliché Café is an exploration of public typography

throughout seven Lawrence, Kansas coffee shops. Each

coffee shop is uniquely different; whether by typographic

style, or the stereotypical customer that lounges around

drinking coffee in each shop. In Cliché Café, I go to a dif-

ferent coffee shop each day of the week with a different

friend everyday. For each friend I go with, I go to the cof-

fee shop where they would fit in the most and where they

would be considered the stereotypical, cliché customer.

Sunday: Hannah the Hippie

Monday: Riley the Trendsetter

Tuesday: Anne the Geek

Wednesday: Tegan the Art Freak

Thursday: Megan the Sorority Girl

Friday: John the Businessman

Saturday: Jack the Elderly

S M Tu W Th F S

HANNAH

sundayhippie

Z’s DIVINE ESPRESSO

It’s around three in the afternoon. My friend

Hannah and I are just getting up and around

after a night of light partying. Hannah is

wearing a pair of jeans she recycled into

shorts, a shirt her mom wore in the 70’s, and

a pair of fl ip-fl ops—the same outfi t she wore

from last night. Tomorrow, Hannah has an

environmental science class test that she

needs to study for and I, of course, have some

graphics homework that needs some attention. We

are in dire need of coffee. So we walk to her favorite

place—Z’s—off of 9th and Mass downtown. She

loves the artisan and Ugandan coffee. But I think

what she loves most about Z’s is that practically

everything there is recycled. We get in and order a

medium cup of coffee and start to work.

Comic Sans MS Bold

S M Tu W Th F SAt Z’s the type reminds me of a hippie. Z’s uses a lot of handwritten type as well as organic and expressive typefaces. There are many type forms that use a distressed and textured look.

Peace, love, & coffee.

RILEY

mondaytrendsetter

JAVA BREAK

Actual note found on a couch at Java Break.]

[

Some of the typography at Java Break is handwritten which I think helps appeal to a trendier crowd. Java Break also utilizes a lot of Helvetica, which is a very popular typeface. Public typography at Java Break represents trendsetters well.

Call 816-645-6668 for a mediocre time.

Monday’s are usually pretty chill days for me. I

only have graphics class that day and it isn’t until

2:30, so I asked my friend Riley if she wanted to

go to Java Break with me. I knew she liked that

crowd; she fits in with all the Ray-Ban, Ked, and

plaid-wearing kids. I like to get the coffee there,

it’s very unique, but Riley just loves to go for the

cupcakes and originality of the spot. We definitely

don’t go for the friendliness—it’s non-existent. But

it is always fun to jot down little notes on the walls

and couches in the back.

Jonas Brothers: CLEANAdam Lambert: DIRTY

S M Tu W Th F S

ANNE

tuesdaygeek

DUNN BROS

Tidy, clean type that reminds me very much of what a geek’s room might look like.]

]

The typography at Dunn Bros is a lot of clean sans serif typefaces like Berthold Akzidenz Grotesk Super. They throw in the occasional slab serif like they did in the logo for Dunn Bros. They also use handwriting on this black menu. It reminds me of a classroom’s chalkboard writing, which a geek might be attracted to.

Anne and I just got out of our Decision Mak-

ing class that seemed to drone on forever. She

thought it would be a good idea to go get some

coffee so we can study for next Thursday’s test.

She’s always so on top of things. I feel bad for

saying she’s a dork but, at the same time, I’m

no liar. She’s got the nerdy glasses, tucked in

shirt, the whole shebang. She accessorizes her

outfit with books. We head to Dunn Brothers

and we get a cup of Joe, settle in, and get going

on some exhausting probability equations. Five

minutes into drinking and studying the geek spills

coffee all over herself. She should have worn her

pocket protector…

E = mc2

S M Tu W Th F S

TEGAN

wednesday

art freak

SIGNS OF LIFE

Guess what’s happening today? Yes, more studying and design work, ergo, more coffee. I think I’m

getting an ulcer for Christmas this year. But coffee has become a necessity for the survival of graphic

design. Anyways, I’m having Tegan go with me. We will be studying for our art history class. She’s

a painting major so she actually understands this crap about Byzantine and Impressionism art; I’m

thankfully just good at memorization of the artists, paintings and dates. She has her paint-stained shirt on

and sketchbook on hand, so I thought it would be fi tting to take her upstairs to work and drink coffee in

the art gallery. I’m not a fan of the coffee; it’s got some extra healthy taste to it, but it keeps me going.

My medium of choice: pencil and latté.

The type at Signs of Life has simple typefaces that are quiet and not too loud or distracting for the artists who like to go there to sketch, enjoy coffee and explore the upstairs art gallery. The gallery signs use Arial Bold, a simple sans serif. Signs of Life also utilizes the typeface Century Gothic for “espresso”.

S M Tu W Th F S

MEGAN

thursdaysorority girl

STARBUCKS

My skinny, non-fat latté is totes delish.

A bold, Clarendon type-face—which is clean and elegant—helps to attract the sorority girl type.

Today is totally social. Like, totally. I’m with

Megan, my Tri-Delt friend. She has “oodles”

of things to tell me. I can’t really stand her

but she’s one of those high school friends

you can’t seem to get rid of. I’m thinking this

coffee trip to Starbucks just might require

me to bring some Bailey’s. Megan orders

herself a cutesy little tall, non-fat, latté with

extra whipped cream. I order a grandé

coffee. Megan is the most typical sorority

girl in her Ugg boots, leggings, white

v-neck, and scarf. She begins to talk and I

Starbucks typography attracts a certain audience. The type is directed toward individuals who are willing to pay for customization. Starbucks writes the names of the customers name on the cup and check off what all is in the coffee. They also use label makers to create labels for spices for further customization of your coffee.

begin wanting to be hit by a bus. Instead

of walking out of the shop and jumping in

the street, I secretly put some Bailey’s in

my coffee underneath the table and out of

sight. Megan was too self-involved listening

to herself talk that she didn’t even notice.

And all was well.

S M Tu W Th F S

JOHN

TEAPOURO TEA & ESPRESSO

f ridaybusinessman

I’m working at my internship today. It’s a very causal

and chill little design place off 11th and Mass.

John, my boss, and I head down to Teapouro Tea &

Espresso for a coffee break. He likes the tea there.

I always order the same in hopes he’ll like me a

little more for it. I really like their coffee but if getting

further in the graphics world takes one chai tea a

week, then I’m more than willing. I always see a lot

of Mass street businesspeople at Teapouro. All the

suits are intimidating. Good thing

the boss is there to protect me. “All the suits are intimidating.”

The typography at Teapouro is a really bold font that has a bubbliness to it. There is also a leafy font that is more directed towards the teas in Teapouro. The espresso menu, though, is a bold sans serif font that has the typeface of a typical café. I think that the typeface reflects the businessman because they are relaxed typefaces but still serious enough for a businessman who needs a break from work.

All play, no work.

S M Tu W Th F S

JACK

elderlies

saturdayJ&S COFFEE

Today should be a great day for me. Saturday’s

I don’t have school, no work, I’ll get to hang out

all day, and the best part: I get to sleep in. I love

Saturday’s. Usually. This Saturday though, just

happens to be my grandpa’s birthday. Guess who

has to hang out with him? Yep, that’s right, I do.

And guess what time he wakes up? Five in the

morning. The sun has got nothing on my grandpa.

So Grandpa Jack wants coffee and he wants to

be joined by little Danielle for his 78th. It’s not

even that special of a number. Ugh. I’m sure you’re

wondering why I don’t just get coffee with him later.

To answer that: the old fool goes to bed at noon.

I pick him up from the home and we head to J&S.

Today he’s wearing his elastic, high-waisted stretch

pants, grandpa sweater, and accompanied by his

cane. Awesome. We order coffee and my morning

grumpiness starts to wear off. And then I start to enjoy

the rest of my chat with gramps. Plus he was the fi rst

one to buy my coffee all week. What a sweetie.

disturbance

There is little text used at J&S but the text there is the handwritten menu, along with Copperplate typefaced labels, and a logo that uses the typeface Disturbance. The type attracts an older crowd because it is simple, straightforward, and purposeful.

Let me get my teeth out before I sip this coffee.

S M Tu W Th F S

Thank you to the following coffee shops: Z’s Divine

Espresso, Java Break, Dunn Bros, Signs of Life, Starbucks,

Teapouro Tea & Espresso, and J&S Coffee. Also, thank

you to my roommate Libby Richardson for dedicating her

time by modeling for each personality in Cliché Café. The

camera used for this project was a Canon Powershot SD.

Citations:

zsdivine.comthejavabreak.comdunnbros.comsignsoflifegallery.comstarbucks.comjandscoffee.com

Typefaces:

Berthold Akzidenz Grotesk

Rockwell

Comic Sans

Didot

Helvetica

Century Gothic

Clarendon

ITC Officina Serif

Disturbance

Copperplate

Danielle Marie Aldrich

Public Typography

Designer as Author // Fall 2010

Patrick Dooley

The University of Kansas