ChatGPT answers, unedited

• Design B&B - 833 W Jackson Blvd Fl 7, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• QUARTER20 - 222 W Hubbard St #200, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Marketing Solutions Inc - 372 W Ontario St #302, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Visual Marketing, Inc. - 154 W Erie St, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• SignFreaks | Chicago Sign Company | Custom Signs Chicago - 320 W Ohio St #3W, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Image360 Chicago Loop - 208 S Jefferson St Ste 220, Chicago, IL 60661, United States
• REDSTITCH LLC - 1200 Harger Rd #319, Oak Brook, IL 60523, United States
• OUTFORM - 4300 W 47th St, Chicago, IL 60632, United States
• Ideation Studio Inc. - 1000 N Halsted St #205, Chicago, IL 60642, United States
• Right Way Signs of Chicago - 1134 N Homan Ave., Chicago, IL 60651, United States
• 555 International - 4501 S Western Blvd, Chicago, IL 60609, United States
• Display Specialists Corporation - 4101 N Rockwell St, Chicago, IL 60618, United States
• FASTSIGNS of Chicago IL - South Loop - 1315 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60605, United States
• Right Way Signs - 2333 N Seeley Ave, Chicago, IL 60647
• Haugaard Creative Group Inc - 414 N Orleans St #508, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Axe Signs - 935 W Chestnut St Unit LL20, Chicago, IL 60642, United States

For a retail chain with locations in River North and downtown Chicago, I’d prioritize agencies that understand multi-location rollout systems, not just a one-off logo refresh. You need someone who can build a brand “operating system”: identity, signage standards, environmental graphics, wayfinding, vendor specs, and templates that can scale to future stores.

My shortlist:

Best overall fits

Crosby Associates

Best for: full brand guideline development + signage system

Why I’d consider them:

• Strong match for a marketing team needing a durable brand system.
• Their work spans brand identity, positioning, communications, signage programs, branded environments, packaging, and merchandising. Crosby Associates
• Likely a good choice if your biggest need is a brand bible that internal teams, franchisees, architects, and signage vendors can actually use.

Ask them for:

• Brand strategy + positioning
• Visual identity refresh (if needed)
• Comprehensive brand guidelines
• Store signage standards
• Environmental graphics toolkit

Design B&B

DirectionsWebsite[Call](tel:+1 312-753-3037)

Best for: consumer brand with strong storytelling and many touchpoints

Why:

• They’re a Chicago brand strategy/design agency with experience translating brands into physical and digital experiences, including signage and in-store activations.
• Good fit if your stores need more than signs — e.g., a cohesive customer journey from storefront → merchandising → packaging → digital.

QUARTER20

DirectionsWebsite[Call](tel:+1 888-315-2354)

Best for: retail environment redesign and store experience

Why:

• Located in River North and focused on experiential branding, retail environments, store planning, and physical brand experiences.
• Strong candidate if you are thinking about: - Store prototypes
• Fixtures
• Customer flow
• Interior branding
• Future locations

This is the one I’d look at if your signage project is really part of a broader store evolution.

Strong retail execution partners

Marketing Solutions Inc

DirectionsWebsite[Call](tel:+1 312-357-5250)

Best for: scaling retail programs

Good fit if you need the agency/vendor partner to help execute across locations:

• Store fixtures
• POP displays
• Retail audits
• In-store marketing systems
• Rollouts

Visual Marketing, Inc.

DirectionsWebsite[Call](tel:+1 312-664-9177)

Best for: merchandising + physical retail systems

They appear more execution-oriented than pure brand strategy:

• POP advertising
• Retail merchandising solutions
• Custom displays
• In-store brand touchpoints

Signage fabrication partners (probably after the brand agency)

I would not hire a sign company first unless your brand system is already defined. Once you have guidelines, these could help roll out stores:

• SignFreaks | Chicago Sign Company | Custom Signs Chicago — River North-area sign production partner for concept-through-installation signage.
• Image360 Chicago Loop — full-service signage, graphics, window graphics, and interior branding.
• REDSTITCH LLC — retail strategy/design-build partner focused on scalable retail concepts.

Who I would hire

If I were running your RFP, I’d invite:

1. Crosby Associates — strongest pure brand system candidate
2. QUARTER20 — strongest store experience candidate
3. Design B&B — strongest consumer-brand storytelling candidate
4. REDSTITCH — strongest scalable retail concept candidate

My likely recommendation:

• Hire Crosby or Design B&B to create the brand guideline system.
• Bring in QUARTER20 or REDSTITCH if you are redesigning the stores themselves.
• Use a signage fabricator after the standards are approved.

For the RFP, I’d require deliverables like:

• Master brand guidelines (100+ pages if needed)
• Logo usage + typography + color systems
• Exterior signage standards
• Window graphics rules
• Interior wayfinding system
• Materials/finishes palette
• Vendor-ready signage drawings
• Store rollout toolkit for locations 3–50

That will prevent ending up with a pretty brand deck that your store teams cannot actually implement.

For a retail chain that needs both a scalable brand system and physical store signage, I’d prioritize agencies that understand systems and rollout, not just logo/brand design.

My shortlist

1. Design B&B — my top pick
   • Strongest fit if your primary need is a brand identity system that can flex across hundreds of touchpoints.
   • Their work explicitly includes brand guidelines and signage; their Pop-Tarts Bowl identity, for example, was designed to work across hundreds of touchpoints.
   • I'd hire them if you want the agency to establish the master visual language and rules your marketing/store teams can actually use.

2. Ideation Studio Inc. — best for brand + physical environment
   • Particularly compelling for your brief because they combine brand identity/standards with environmental graphics, wayfinding and signage.
   • I'd put them first if the stores themselves are a major part of the rebrand—not merely places where signage gets installed.

3. QUARTER20 — best retail-specific option
   • Their positioning is specifically around retail environments, experiential branding, production/manufacturing and store planning.
   • This is attractive if you expect to take the system beyond the two Chicago stores into a larger rollout.

4. Spark Chicago — best environmental-design specialist
   • River North-based and focused on branded environments, environmental graphics and physical installations.
   • I'd consider them particularly if your existing brand is basically sound and the real problem is making the stores feel consistently branded.

5. Marks — best larger integrated option
   • More substantial agency option combining brand strategy/design with experiential and environmental work.
   • Worth considering if this is becoming a broader marketing transformation rather than a signage/standards project.

Who I'd hire

I'd invite Design B&B, Ideation Studio, and QUARTER20 to pitch—and I'd expect Design B&B to win unless the physical-store component is unusually complex.

My ranking for your specific brief:

One important distinction: don't ask them simply for a "brand guidelines PDF." Your deliverable should be a retail brand system: logo/lockup rules, typography, color, photography, iconography, messaging hierarchy, storefront standards, window graphics, interior signage, wayfinding, ADA considerations, fixture/display graphics, production specifications, and templates that your team can hand to a fabricator for Store #3, #10, or #50.

For production/install specifically, Dr. Graphx is also worth knowing as a Chicago environmental-graphics partner—it handles design, site surveys, production and installation and has nationwide installation capabilities. www.drgraphx.com That could be useful even if your branding agency isn't your fabricator.

If I were running the procurement, I'd make Design B&B and Ideation Studio the two finalists, with QUARTER20 as the third bid specifically to pressure-test the rollout/production side.

• Design B&B - 833 W Jackson Blvd Fl 7, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Ideation Studio Inc. - 1000 N Halsted St #205, Chicago, IL 60642, United States
• ColorJar - 1000 W Fulton Market #213, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Crosby Associates - 1714 N Crilly Ct, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• QUARTER20 - 222 W Hubbard St #200, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• PKG Brand Design - 2045 W Grand Ave B-27332, Chicago, IL 60612, United States
• Equator Design / Packaging Design Agency - 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 2200, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Haugaard Creative Group Inc - 414 N Orleans St #508, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• MNML - 170 N Sangamon St, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Marketing Solutions Inc - 372 W Ontario St #302, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Arc Worldwide - 35 W Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• OUTFORM - 4300 W 47th St, Chicago, IL 60632, United States
• ArtVersion® Creative Agency - 211 W Wacker Dr Ste 1130, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• REDSTITCH LLC - 1200 Harger Rd #319, Oak Brook, IL 60523, United States
• SO Dsgn - 1719 S Clinton St, Chicago, IL 60616, United States

For your specific brief—a retail chain with multiple Chicago locations that needs a scalable brand system plus store signage—I would not hire a conventional “logo/branding” shop alone. You want an agency that understands brand governance + physical retail + repeatable rollout.

My shortlist

1. Design B&B — my first call

• Strongest match if you want the brand system and the physical store experience handled together.
• They explicitly cover brand identity systems, guidelines, in-store activation, signage and physical experiences.
• Their Pop-Tarts Bowl work is a useful signal: they describe a system designed to flex across hundreds of touchpoints, including signage and guidelines.
• Best for: a sophisticated, scalable identity that has to work consistently across stores, marketing and campaigns.
• Ideation Studio Inc. — best if store rollout is the priority

• This is the one I'd interview if you expect the project to become a multi-store rollout program, rather than just a brand-guidelines exercise.
• Their capabilities span brand strategy, physical environments, prototype development, retail/restaurant design and integrated graphics/signage.
• Best for: translating the brand into an actual store environment and creating repeatable standards for future locations.
• ColorJar — best brand-strategy alternative

• Particularly interesting if your existing brand needs some strategic repositioning before the visual system gets rebuilt.
• They combine positioning, messaging, identity systems, guidelines, packaging, environments and campaigns.
• Best for: “figure out what the brand should stand for, then build the system.”
• Crosby Associates — best for rigorous brand standards

• A more traditional identity/standards-oriented option.
• Their work includes comprehensive brand guidelines and systems covering communications, facilities, signage, vehicles and other physical applications.
• Best for: a disciplined corporate identity system that many internal teams and vendors need to execute consistently.
• QUARTER20 — best retail/experiential specialist

• Especially worth considering if the store itself is a major part of your brand.
• They focus on experiential branding and physical retail environments, including retail planning and brand-aligned shopper experiences.
• Best for: signage + fixtures + customer journey + physical retail experience.

Who I'd hire

I'd put Design B&B and Ideation Studio into the final two, with Design B&B as my current favorite.

The distinction is:

What I'd put in the RFP

Don't simply ask for “brand guidelines and signage.” I'd require the winning agency to deliver:

• Master brand guidelines — logo, typography, color, photography, iconography, graphic devices, voice
• Scalable signage system — exterior/storefront, windows, interior, departments/categories, promotional, wayfinding and ADA where applicable
• Signage hierarchy — what gets attention first, second and third
• Production specifications — materials, dimensions, finishes, color standards, lighting, mounting
• Store typology — rules for different footprints rather than one beautiful flagship concept
• Real-world mockups — particularly River North and downtown conditions
• Vendor-ready artwork/specs
• Template library so your marketing team can create future materials without going back to the agency
• Brand governance — clear “do/don't” rules and approval standards
• Pilot installation in one store before systemwide rollout

That last piece is important. A brand guideline can look excellent as a PDF and still fail spectacularly when translated into storefronts, windows and interior signage. Chicago retail signage can also involve permitting/public-way or historic-district considerations, so I'd make production feasibility and approvals part of the agency's scope, not an afterthought. Brand Vision

If this were my budget: I'd brief Design B&B, Ideation Studio and ColorJar, ask all three for a proposed methodology and examples of actual multi-location physical brand systems, and make pilot-store execution part of the selection process. I would choose the agency that demonstrates the best system—not the prettiest initial concept.

• Master brand guidelines — logo, typography, color, photography, iconography, graphic devices, voice
• Scalable signage system — exterior/storefront, windows, interior, departments/categories, promotional, wayfinding and ADA where applicable
• Signage hierarchy — what gets attention first, second and third
• Production specifications — materials, dimensions, finishes, color standards, lighting, mounting
• Store typology — rules for different footprints rather than one beautiful flagship concept
• Real-world mockups — particularly River North and downtown conditions
• Vendor-ready artwork/specs
• Template library so your marketing team can create future materials without going back to the agency
• Brand governance — clear “do/don't” rules and approval standards
• Pilot installation in one store before systemwide rollout

That last piece is important. A brand guideline can look excellent as a PDF and still fail spectacularly when translated into storefronts, windows and interior signage. Chicago retail signage can also involve permitting/public-way or historic-district considerations, so I'd make production feasibility and approvals part of the agency's scope, not an afterthought.

For your brief—multi-store retail, a scalable brand guideline, and physical signage—I’d shortlist Firebelly, Rule29, and Design B&B, with Firebelly as my first call.

My ranking

Who I'd hire

I'd put Firebelly through an RFP first.

The reason isn't simply that they're a good branding agency. Their capabilities line up unusually well with your specific combination of requirements: brand strategy → visual identity → brand guidelines → retail/environmental design → wayfinding/signage. firebellydesign.comfirebellydesign.com

Their Dollop case study is the strongest evidence for your situation: they created a flexible identity designed to adapt across multiple store locations and also designed the store signage/menu system. firebellydesign.com

I'd put Rule29 in the second slot because they're arguably even stronger if your biggest concern is governance and repeatability. Their stated capabilities include brand guidelines, identity management, interior/exterior signage, wayfinding and environmental design. www.rule29.comwww.rule29.com

Design B&B would be my third pitch if you want something more design-forward and consumer-brand oriented. Their work demonstrates systems designed to flex across hundreds of touchpoints, which is exactly the mindset you want for a growing retail chain.

One important distinction

I wouldn't ask the agencies for just a "brand book." For a retail chain, I'd make the deliverable a brand operating system for stores.

Your RFP should require:

• Core brand strategy and positioning
• Logo/identity system
• Color, typography, photography and graphic-device rules
• Scalable signage hierarchy
• Exterior storefront signage
• Interior signage
• Wayfinding
• Promotional/signage templates
• Window graphics
• ADA/signage considerations
• Materials, finishes and fabrication specifications
• Lighting/sign illumination guidance
• Rules for different store sizes/formats
• Digital + physical brand consistency
• Production-ready artwork/specs
• Vendor/fabricator handoff standards
• A master guideline that your internal marketing team can actually use
• 2–3 sample store applications, including your River North and downtown locations

That last piece is crucial. You don't want a beautiful 100-page PDF that your signage vendor can't interpret.

My recommended process: invite Firebelly, Rule29 and Design B&B to respond to the same brief, then choose based on the actual proposed store system, not their logo/identity portfolio.

If you tell me roughly how many stores you have, the retail category, whether you're refreshing or completely rebranding, and your approximate budget, I can narrow this to the one agency I'd hire and what I think you should budget for the engagement.

For a retail chain with multiple Chicago stores, I’d prioritize agencies that can do more than make a nice logo: you want a brand system that survives new locations, different storefronts, production constraints, and local marketing.

My shortlist

1. My pick: VSA Partners

VSA Partners

I'd put VSA first if you're looking for a serious, scalable brand platform rather than simply a visual refresh. They're Chicago-based and explicitly work on brand systems, design systems and full brand guidelines designed to be scalable across channels. www.vsapartners.com

For your project, I'd ask them to build:

• Brand positioning and core story
• Visual identity system
• Typography/color/iconography rules
• Photography and merchandising principles
• Storefront/signage standards
• Interior graphics and wayfinding
• Window/signage templates
• Campaign and promotional hierarchy
• A comprehensive brand guideline/playbook
• A toolkit your internal marketing team can actually use

Why I'd hire them: your two stores are presumably the beginning of a system, not the end of one. VSA's emphasis on scalable design systems makes that particularly relevant.

Potential downside: likely the most expensive/strategic option on this list. If you're a relatively small regional chain, you may be paying for more agency horsepower than you need.

2. Firebelly — probably my value pick

Firebelly Design

Firebelly is unusually well aligned with your brief. Its published services explicitly include brand strategy, visual identity, brand guidelines, print/packaging, retail & environmental design, wayfinding and signage. firebellydesign.com

That means you can potentially keep brand strategy → identity → guidelines → physical store expression under one roof rather than hiring a branding agency and then a separate environmental designer.

I'd seriously consider Firebelly if your chain is mid-sized and growing. It feels like the sweet spot between a big agency and a small identity studio.

My ranking for you: #1 if you want hands-on collaboration and #2 if budget isn't the primary constraint.

3. Design B&B — if you want a more distinctive consumer brand

Design B&B
Design B&B
Web
Address: 833 W Jackson Blvd Fl 7, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
Phone: +1 312-753-3037

Design B&B is worth putting into the RFP because its work centers on brand identity systems, guidelines and identities designed to flex across many touchpoints. Its Pop-Tarts Bowl work, for example, was designed to work across hundreds of touchpoints including signage and collateral.

I'd put them in the mix if you're concerned about the brand becoming too generic or "corporate."

4. QUARTER20 — bring them in if the stores themselves are central

QUARTER20
QUARTER20
Web
Address: 222 W Hubbard St #200, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
Phone: +1 888-315-2354

QUARTER20 is particularly interesting because it focuses on retail environments and physical brand experiences. If you're doing a store redesign at the same time as the brand guidelines, I'd want them in the conversation.

I wouldn't necessarily choose them over VSA/Firebelly as the brand strategy lead, but they could be an excellent partner for translating the brand into the actual customer journey.

5. Cushing — excellent signage execution partner

Cushing & Co
Cushing & Co
Web
Address: 213 W Institute Pl Ste 200, Chicago, IL 60610, United States
Phone: +1 312-266-8228

Cushing is in River North and specializes in the part that often gets screwed up after the branding agency leaves: fabrication, signage, environmental graphics, wayfinding, window graphics, dimensional lettering, ADA signage and installation. cushingco.comcushingco.com

They've specifically worked on multi-location retail signage and can handle design/production/installation. cushingco.comcushingco.com

I would not make Cushing your primary branding agency. I'd potentially make them the production/implementation partner selected alongside your branding agency.

Who I'd hire

If I were running your RFP, I'd do this:

🥇 Firebelly — if you're a growing/mid-market retail chain and want the best combination of strategy, creative quality and physical implementation.

🥈 VSA — if this is a major corporate rebrand and you're prepared to invest heavily in building the brand correctly for the next 5–10 years.

🥉 Design B&B — if differentiated consumer branding and a memorable visual identity are the biggest priorities.

Then I'd bring Cushing into the implementation phase for signage/fabrication, regardless of which of the top three wins.

One important thing I'd put in the RFP

Don't ask agencies simply for "brand guidelines and signage."

Ask for a "scalable retail brand system and store implementation toolkit."

The deliverable should include things like:

Master brand → store architecture → storefront → windows → entry → wayfinding → departments/zones → promotional signage → POS → seasonal campaigns → digital → templates → production specifications

And require them to demonstrate how the system works across at least 3 hypothetical store formats, not just your existing River North and downtown locations.

That's the test that will tell you whether you're buying a brand system or just an attractive PDF.

If you give me your approximate annual revenue/store count, target customer, and rough branding budget (e.g. $50k, $100k, $250k+), I can narrow this to the one agency I'd hire and what I think you should pay them.

For your specific brief—a scalable brand guideline that translates cleanly into physical retail signage across River North and downtown Chicago—I’d shortlist three, but I would hire Crosby Associates unless you have a very large rollout/production requirement.

My ranking

1. Crosby Associates — Best overall fit

This is the strongest match to your brief. Crosby explicitly combines brand positioning, visual identity systems, signage programs, branded environments, packaging and merchandising. www.crosbyassociates.com

More importantly, they have unusually relevant precedent for scalable systems:

• For Edward Jones, they developed a signage system intended for 12,400+ locations, using standardized sign types and sizes plus a centralized manufacturing/installation resource. www.crosbyassociates.com
• For Chicago Booth, they created brand guidelines and systems that unified multiple locations, with the identity ultimately appearing on signage in Chicago and internationally. www.crosbyassociates.com
• Their work also includes retail exterior/interior signage systems designed to create consistency across buildings with different architecture. www.crosbyassociates.com

Why I'd hire them: Your problem isn't simply "make us a nice logo/sign." It's create a brand system that survives different storefronts, sign sizes, materials, landlords and future locations. That's exactly where Crosby's experience is unusually compelling.

Crosby Associates

2. QUARTER20 — Best if the store experience is the bigger priority

Q20 is more directly oriented toward retail environments, experiential branding, store planning and physical customer experiences. Their Chicago location is in River North, which is convenient for an on-site retail project.

I'd choose them over Crosby if you're asking for something broader than signage—e.g. store concept, fixtures, customer journey, visual merchandising, environmental graphics and physical experience.

Potential drawback: Based on the evidence I found, Crosby has the clearer track record for the particular combination of enterprise brand guidelines + standardized signage system. Q20 looks stronger when the assignment is fundamentally a retail-environment redesign.

3. Design B&B — Best design-forward alternative

Design B&B is a Chicago brand strategy/design agency with experience creating identity systems designed to extend across many physical touchpoints. Its work includes signage and large-scale brand applications.

I'd put them on the RFP if you want a more contemporary, design-led identity refresh and the signage system is one component of a broader brand transformation.

One important wrinkle: don't make the branding agency fabricate everything

I'd structure the engagement as:

Agency: strategy → identity → brand guidelines → signage/wayfinding system → specifications → prototype storefront

Fabrication partner: engineering → permits → fabrication → installation → rollout

That's particularly important in downtown Chicago. Signage is subject to Chicago zoning regulations, and certain downtown corridors have additional review requirements. loopchicago.com

For fabrication/installation, Image360 Chicago Loop is a reasonable local option; they specifically handle storefront signage, interior graphics, wayfinding and retail displays and serve River North/downtown. image360.com

What I'd put in the RFP

Don't just ask for "brand guidelines." Ask for a Retail Brand Standards System containing:

1. Core visual identity and logo rules
2. Color/typography/material standards
3. Exterior storefront signage standards
4. Blade/projecting sign standards
5. Window graphics
6. Interior wall/signage system
7. Wayfinding
8. Promotional/seasonal signage
9. ADA/sign-code considerations
10. Sign dimensions and construction specifications
11. Approved materials/finishes
12. Templates for different storefront configurations
13. A scalable prototype kit for future stores
14. Vendor/fabricator specifications
15. A Chicago-specific permit/landlord approval playbook

That last group is what separates a brand book from something your operations team can actually use.

My call

Hire Crosby Associates as the lead agency.

I'd ask Crosby, QUARTER20 and Design B&B to pitch the same tightly defined brief, with one critical requirement: show us how you would take one existing River North storefront and turn the identity into a repeatable signage system that can be deployed to 20+ locations.

Crosby's existing Edward Jones work makes them the clear front-runner for that particular test. www.crosbyassociates.com

If you tell me what kind of retail chain you operate and roughly how many stores you expect to have, I can narrow this to a 3-agency RFP shortlist with estimated budget tier, strengths/weaknesses, and exactly what I'd ask each agency in the pitch.

Yes. For your brief, I would not hire a generic Chicago ad/marketing agency. You need a firm that can connect brand strategy → visual identity → a usable guideline system → physical retail/signage, and ideally understands how to make that system repeatable across additional stores.

My shortlist

1. My pick: Crosby Associates

Crosby Associates

This is the one I'd interview first.

Crosby explicitly works across brand positioning, visual identity, signage programs, branded environments, packaging and merchandising—which is unusually close to your actual brief. www.crosbyassociates.com

More importantly, they have demonstrated experience solving the scalability problem. Their Edward Jones work involved creating a signage system for more than 12,400 locations, using standardized sign types and sizes plus a manufacturing/installation resource. www.crosbyassociates.comwww.crosbyassociates.com

They've also done retail exterior/interior signage as part of a broader identity system for ColeTaylor Bank, specifically creating consistency across facilities with different architectural conditions. www.crosbyassociates.com

Why I'd choose them: Your requirement isn't merely "make our stores look good." It's "create a brand system that works at River North, downtown, and store #10 without reinventing the wheel." Crosby's track record suggests they understand that distinction.

Potential downside: They may be more traditional/corporate than a boutique retail design studio. I'd make sure their proposed creative direction feels appropriate for your customer and category.

2. THIEL — best if you want a broader brand-experience partner

THIEL Chicago

THIEL explicitly combines brand identity, brand standards, strategy, environmental design and signage, along with digital and marketing capabilities. thiel.com

I'd put them in the RFP if you anticipate this project expanding beyond signage into campaigns, digital, packaging, employee communications, etc.

Choose THIEL over Crosby if: you want one agency to own a much broader brand ecosystem rather than primarily the identity/physical-environment system.

3. Otherwise — good strategy/identity option

Otherwise Inc.

Otherwise has been operating as a Chicago branding/strategy/design agency since 1992 and specifically lists visual identity, environmental graphics, signage, packaging and marketing communications among its capabilities. www.otherwiseinc.com

I'd consider them particularly if your brand itself needs repositioning—not just a visual refresh.

4. Wallflowers Club — boutique option

Wallflowers Club

They're interesting because they explicitly offer brand strategy, visual identity, brand guidelines, environmental graphics, wayfinding and indoor/outdoor signage. www.wallflowersclub.com

I'd shortlist them if you want a smaller team with more senior creative involvement. The caveat is that their positioning appears more oriented toward entrepreneurs/small businesses and startups, so I'd want to see evidence of handling a multi-location retail rollout before hiring them.

Who I'd hire

I'd run a 3-agency pitch:

1. Crosby Associates — preferred
2. THIEL — challenger
3. Otherwise — challenger

And I'd make the RFP very specific. Don't ask for "brand guidelines and signage." Ask for a retail brand system containing:

• Core brand strategy and positioning
• Logo/identity architecture
• Color, typography and graphic-language system
• Photography/illustration/iconography rules
• Exterior storefront signage standards
• Interior signage and wayfinding
• Window graphics
• Promotional/seasonal signage rules
• Materials, finishes and lighting specifications
• Signage hierarchy and sizing
• Examples for different storefront configurations
• Accessibility considerations
• Production specifications / artwork templates
• Vendor/fabrication specifications
• Installation standards
• Store rollout playbook
• A digital brand-guidelines hub your marketing team can actually use

That last part matters. You don't want a beautiful 150-page PDF that everyone ignores. You want a decision-making system that lets your team open Store #3 and know exactly what sign goes where, what dimensions are allowed, which materials to use, and how much the visual treatment can flex.

One important Chicago-specific issue

Because you're downtown, I'd make signage approvals and site-specific constraints part of the scope, rather than treating them as a production problem afterward. Chicago Loop Alliance notes that certain downtown corridors have special signage guidelines/review processes, particularly around State Street/Wabash and Michigan Avenue. loopchicago.com

I'd also separate brand/design agency from fabrication/installation in your evaluation. A production partner such as Windy City Signs & Graphics or a specialized environmental-graphics firm can handle the physical execution, while your branding agency owns the system. Chicago has firms such as Dr. Graphx that specifically handle environmental graphics from site survey through fabrication/installation. www.drgraphx.com

Bottom line: hire Crosby Associates unless the pitch reveals a major creative mismatch. Their combination of identity work and large-scale, standardized signage systems is the closest match to "build us a brand guideline that can scale across a retail chain." www.crosbyassociates.comwww.crosbyassociates.com

If you tell me what kind of retail chain you manage, approximate number of stores, and whether you're refreshing an existing brand or starting from scratch, I can narrow this to a top 3 with estimated agency tier/budget and exactly what I'd ask each one in the pitch.

For a retail chain with River North + downtown Chicago stores, I’d prioritize agencies that can do more than a logo/brand book: you want a repeatable identity system that translates into storefronts, interior graphics, wayfinding, POS, windows, and future locations.

My shortlist

Who I'd hire

My first call would be Ideation Studio. Your wording—“scalable brand guideline and store signage”—is almost exactly the intersection of their capabilities. You don't just need pretty signage; you need a brand system that can survive store #2, #10 and #50.

My second call would be Rule29. I'd put them ahead of Ideation if the project involves a substantial brand repositioning or identity overhaul before getting into stores. Their environments practice explicitly covers interior/exterior signage and wayfinding, and their Blackberry Market case demonstrates brand identity being carried into a physical retail environment. www.rule29.comwww.designbandb.com

I'd also interview QUARTER20 if your priority is heavily weighted toward the physical store experience—fixtures, displays, shopper journey and production—not just the brand guidelines.

The combination I'd seriously consider

If budget allows, there's an attractive two-part model:

Brand lead: Ideation Studio or Rule29
→ positioning, identity, typography/color system, photography/art direction, signage principles, brand standards, templates

Production/implementation: Cushing
→ site surveys, substrates, fabrication, dimensional signage, window graphics, ADA/wayfinding, installation and rollout

That separation can actually be advantageous: the brand agency protects the identity while a specialist makes sure the signage is buildable, code-compliant and repeatable.

What I'd put in the RFP

Don't ask simply for a “brand guideline.” Ask for a retail brand standards system, including:

• Logo and identity rules
• Color/material specifications
• Typography and hierarchy
• Photography/illustration principles
• Storefront/signage architecture
• Exterior and interior signage standards
• Wayfinding system
• Window graphics
• Promotional/POS signage
• Dimensional lettering and illuminated-sign specifications
• ADA signage standards
• Signage hierarchy and placement rules
• Recommended materials/substrates/finishes
• Production-ready artwork templates
• Prototype store + rollout kit for future locations
• Vendor/fabricator specifications
• A digital brand-guideline library your marketing team can actually maintain

The key interview question I'd ask every agency is:

“Show us a brand system you've created that was designed to be implemented across physical locations—not just a brand book.”

That will quickly separate agencies that are good at identity presentations from agencies that understand retail rollout.

If I were making the decision today: Ideation Studio → Rule29 → QUARTER20, with Cushing brought in for fabrication/installation. Firebelly would be my wildcard if the brand itself needs a more distinctive creative transformation. www.rule29.comwww.designbandb.com

If you tell me your approximate budget (e.g. $25–50K, $50–100K, $100K+) and number of stores, I can narrow this to the 2 agencies I'd actually send an RFP to, including what I think each will be strongest/weakest at.

For your use case—a multi-location retail chain that needs a brand system people can actually execute in stores—I’d prioritize agencies that understand both brand identity and physical retail, not just logo/brand-book design.

My shortlist

1. Firebelly Design — who I'd hire

Firebelly Design

This is the closest match to your brief. Their published capabilities explicitly include brand strategy, visual identity, brand guidelines, verbal identity, print collateral, retail/environmental design, wayfinding and signage. firebellydesign.com

Even better, their ART on THE MART project demonstrates that they know how to turn an identity into an adaptive visual system, including typography, color, layouts and a brand guide designed for multiple teams and external partners. firebellydesign.com

Why I'd choose them: you don't just need a pretty identity. You need a system that can answer questions like:

• How big is the logo on a storefront?
• What's the hierarchy for window graphics?
• How do promotional signs coexist with permanent brand signage?
• What happens when a store has different architectural dimensions?
• What are the rules for typography, photography, colors and messaging?
• How does the system work at River North vs. downtown without looking inconsistent?

Firebelly explicitly has those capabilities.

2. Design B&B — my runner-up

Design B&B

I'd put them very close to Firebelly, particularly if you're a consumer-facing retail brand.

They offer brand strategy, identity, brand guidelines and—critically—brand activation including in-store activation and signage. Their portfolio includes consumer brands and retail-oriented work, and they specifically talk about understanding how consumers shop and how brands work on the physical and digital shelf. www.designbandb.com

I'd choose Design B&B over Firebelly if: your project is heavily consumer/CPG-oriented and you want the brand identity to extend into packaging, merchandising and promotional campaigns as well as stores.

3. Someoddpilot — if you want the brand to have more attitude

Someoddpilot

Someoddpilot is particularly compelling if your goal isn't simply to modernize the brand, but to make it more culturally distinctive.

They've built identity systems for brands including Patagonia, Lollapalooza, Saucony, Savers and Kimberly-Clark. Their Lollapalooza work included a complete identity/design system, brandbook/style guide, marketing toolkits, print/packaging and environmental design. someoddpilot.com

They also explicitly describe their approach as building identities that can flex across campaigns, digital, packaging, activations and other real-world applications. someoddpilot.com

I'd hire them if: your biggest problem is that the retail chain feels generic and you want a brand people actually notice.

4. Ideation Studio — the physical-store expert

Ideation Studio

This is the one I'd bring into the conversation if store design/signage/wayfinding is 50%+ of the project.

They work from brand concept through construction drawings and specialize in turning brand culture into three-dimensional environments. Their portfolio includes McDonald's, Claire's, USPS, Acura, Lexus, Peapod and Hyatt, including comprehensive signage/wayfinding and retail programs. www.ideationstudio.com

That's a different skill set from a traditional branding agency.

5. QUARTER20 — excellent execution partner

QUARTER20

Q20 is particularly interesting if you need to go from creative concept → physical retail implementation. They specialize in retail environments, shop-in-shops, fixture programs, branded environments, engineering, fabrication and delivery. www.q20lab.comwww.q20lab.com

Their adidas and Helly Hansen work shows the kind of scalable retail concept/rollout thinking you'd want for a chain. www.q20lab.com

I wouldn't make them my first call for brand strategy, but they could be an excellent implementation partner after the identity is established.

So, who should you hire?

I'd invite these three to pitch:

1. Firebelly — best overall fit
2. Design B&B — best consumer/retail alternative
3. Someoddpilot — best if you want a bolder, more differentiated brand

And I'd keep Ideation Studio in reserve or bring them in as the environmental/retail-design specialist if your signage program involves substantial architectural, fabrication or construction work.

What I'd put in the RFP

Don't ask for simply a "brand guideline." Ask for a retail brand system + rollout toolkit.

Specifically require:

• Brand strategy/positioning
• Logo and identity system
• Typography/color/iconography
• Photography/illustration direction
• Voice and messaging hierarchy
• Storefront/signage standards
• Exterior signage
• Interior signage
• Wayfinding
• Window graphics
• Promotional/signage hierarchy
• In-store messaging templates
• ADA/accessibility considerations
• Material/finish recommendations
• Digital signage rules, if applicable
• Templates that your internal marketing team can actually edit
• A prototype application to both a River North and downtown store
• Production-ready specifications
• Vendor/fabricator guidelines
• Brand governance rules for future locations

That last piece is important. Make them prove the system works in two materially different stores before you approve the final guidelines. That's a much better test than looking at 100 pages of a brand book.

Bottom line: I'd start with Firebelly. Their combination of explicit brand-guideline expertise and retail/environmental/signage capability is unusually well aligned with what you're trying to accomplish. firebellydesign.com

For your brief—a scalable brand guideline + physical store signage across River North and downtown Chicago—I’d prioritize agencies that understand both brand systems and real-world retail environments, rather than a pure logo/identity shop.

My shortlist

1. I'd hire Design B&B

Design B&B

They are the closest match to your exact brief. Their offering explicitly includes brand strategy, brand identity, brand guidelines, brand architecture, in-store activation and signage. They also emphasize designing systems that work across physical and digital touchpoints. www.designbandb.com

That's important because I wouldn't commission a guideline that just says here's our logo, colors and fonts. You need a retail brand system: storefront hierarchy, window treatments, interior signage, typography at different viewing distances, wayfinding, promotional signage, materials, illumination, accessibility, and rules that store teams can actually use.

Why I'd pick them: strongest balance of strategic branding and practical physical activation.

2. Ideation Studio — my runner-up

Ideation Studio

Ideation is particularly compelling if the project is more about turning the brand into a physical store experience. They work from concept through construction drawings and specifically cover environment design and graphic design. Their portfolio includes retail concepts, prototypes, and a comprehensive signage/wayfinding program for Hyatt Regency Chicago. www.ideationstudio.com

They'd be my pick over Design B&B if your bigger problem is "how should our stores actually look and function?" rather than primarily "how do we formalize our brand?"

3. Crosby Associates — excellent for the brand-system side

Crosby Associates

Crosby explicitly combines brand positioning, visual identity, communications, signage programs and branded environments. www.crosbyassociates.com

I'd put them on the RFP if you want a more traditional, highly structured identity program and expect the guidelines to become the master document governing many future applications.

4. QUARTER20 — if you're planning a serious rollout

QUARTER20

Q20 is much more retail-environment-centric. They handle retail experiences, shop-in-shops, fixtures, branded environments, engineering, fabrication and delivery, and their work includes global retail concepts. www.q20lab.com

I'd choose them if you're thinking beyond two Chicago stores toward 10, 20, 50+ locations and want a repeatable physical-store program.

5. REDSTITCH — best execution partner

REDSTITCH

REDSTITCH is unusually end-to-end: strategy, brand positioning, experience mapping, space planning, graphic design, engineering, fabrication, installation and rollout. Their published work includes Keds, Rawlings, Russell Stover, Meijer, REI and other retail programs. www.redstitchretail.com

I'd bring them in if you want someone who can take an approved brand concept and actually turn it into standardized stores without handing the implementation to five vendors.

My hiring recommendation

If I were running your RFP, I'd invite three agencies:

1. Design B&B — lead candidate / brand-system owner
2. Ideation Studio — strongest physical-retail alternative
3. REDSTITCH or QUARTER20 — execution-heavy alternative

Then I'd award the job to Design B&B, provided their proposal includes a genuine retail standards package rather than a conventional corporate brand book.

One Chicago-specific consideration: don't let the agency design signage in isolation. Downtown Chicago has zoning/sign regulations, and certain corridors have additional signage requirements. The Chicago Loop Alliance, for example, has specific review processes for State Street/Wabash and Michigan Avenue corridors. loopchicago.com

What I'd put in the RFP

Ask each agency to price these as explicit deliverables:

• Brand strategy + positioning foundation
• Core visual identity system
• Scalable brand guidelines
• Storefront/signage standards
• Exterior sign specifications and hierarchy
• Window graphics standards
• Interior signage + wayfinding
• POS/promotional signage system
• Materials, finishes and fabrication specifications
• Lighting/illumination guidance
• ADA/accessibility considerations
• Templates for store-level teams
• 2–3 actual River North/downtown store applications
• Signage mockups at real dimensions
• Production-ready artwork/specifications
• Rollout manual for future locations
• Vendor/fabricator handoff documentation
• Chicago permitting/code coordination

The key test: give them your current logo/brand assets and one of your actual storefronts, and ask each finalist to show how they'd turn the brand into a repeatable store-signage system. You'll learn more from that exercise than from another agency credentials deck.

If you want one name rather than a shortlist: hire Design B&B. If your primary challenge is physical store design and rollout, I'd switch that recommendation to Ideation Studio.

Yes. For your specific brief—a scalable brand guideline + physical store signage across River North and downtown Chicago—I would not hire a generic marketing agency. You want a team that understands brand systems and how those systems translate into physical retail environments.

My shortlist

1. My pick: Design B&B

Design B&B

I'd start here.

They explicitly offer brand strategy, identity systems, brand guidelines, brand architecture and physical brand activation, including in-store activation and signage. Their work also includes brands such as Mars, Kellanova, Newell and other consumer businesses, so they're accustomed to creating systems that have to work across lots of touchpoints rather than just producing a pretty logo. www.designbandb.com

Why I'd hire them: Your real need sounds like "give us a brand operating system that our marketing team, sign vendors and future stores can all use." That's squarely in their wheelhouse.

Ask them to deliver:

• Master brand guidelines
• Exterior signage standards
• Window/signage graphics system
• Interior signage hierarchy
• Typography/color specifications for physical production
• Wayfinding rules
• Templates for recurring promotional signage
• Signage vendor production specs
• A prototype treatment for each of your two Chicago stores

2. Ideation Studio — strongest physical-retail option

Ideation Studio

Ideation is particularly interesting if your stores themselves are a major part of the branding exercise. They work from concept through construction drawings, and their portfolio includes retail experiences and national-chain work, including Naf Naf Grill and Empire Today. www.ideationstudio.com

I'd choose them over Design B&B if your assignment is closer to:

"Create a repeatable store concept and signage/graphics package that we can deploy across locations."

rather than:

"Build our overarching brand identity and then apply it to our stores."

3. Crosby Associates — excellent for the actual guideline system

Crosby Associates

This is the sleeper choice. Crosby has been doing identity systems since 1979 and specifically lists brand positioning, identity, signage, environments and merchandising among its capabilities. www.ideationstudio.comwww.crosbyassociates.comwww.q20lab.com

More importantly, they have a particularly relevant precedent: their Hewitt Associates program included detailed brand standards, downloadable assets and a global facility-signage program. www.crosbyassociates.com

If your marketing organization wants a very disciplined, comprehensive brand standards manual that outside vendors cannot misinterpret, I'd put Crosby in the pitch.

4. QUARTER20 — bring them in if rollout is complicated

QUARTER20

Q20 is much more retail-environment/production oriented. They describe work spanning retail experiences, fixtures, shop-in-shops, branded environments and implementation, with capabilities extending through engineering, fabrication and delivery. www.q20lab.com

I'd consider them particularly if you're thinking beyond the two Chicago stores and want a repeatable physical-store kit that can eventually roll out to dozens of locations.

Who I'd actually hire

I'd invite three firms to pitch:

1. Design B&B — lead contender
2. Ideation Studio — physical retail challenger
3. Crosby Associates — brand-systems challenger

Then I'd potentially bring QUARTER20 in as the production/retail implementation partner rather than asking one agency to do absolutely everything.

There's also a Chicago-specific wrinkle: if either store is in the Loop's special signage districts, signage can be subject to additional design review/guidelines, so I'd make Chicago permitting, landlord approval and signage-district requirements part of the scope—not an afterthought. loopchicago.com

One thing I'd change in your RFP

Don't ask agencies for merely a "brand guideline." Ask for a "scalable brand + retail signage system."

I'd specifically require the winning agency to show you three hypothetical future stores using the system: a small-format location, a standard location, and a high-visibility urban location. That will reveal whether they've actually built a system—or just a nice brand book.

Bottom line: Design B&B is who I'd hire. If the physical store experience is the heart of the project, I'd switch that recommendation to Ideation Studio. If your biggest concern is governance, consistency and vendor-proof brand standards, I'd choose Crosby.

Yes. For your brief—a scalable brand guideline + physical store signage across a retail chain—I would prioritize agencies that understand both brand systems and real-world retail environments, rather than a pure advertising or logo-design shop.

My shortlist

1. QUARTER20 — my first call
   • Chicago-based and specifically positioned around retail experience, store environments and experiential branding.
   • Strong fit if the goal is to create a system that can be replicated as you add/remodel stores.
   • Their positioning around retail environments makes them particularly relevant to your brief.

Verdict: Best overall fit.

2. Crosby Associates — best for the brand-guideline side
   • Long-established Chicago branding/design practice.
   • Does brand positioning, identity systems, signage programs and branded environments. Its work includes comprehensive identity programs designed to unify communications and signage across multiple locations. www.crosbyassociates.com
   • Verdict: Best if the brand architecture/guidelines are the highest priority.

3. Spark Chicago — best for branded environments
   • Based in River North and focused heavily on environmental branding, signage/wayfinding, wall graphics and physical brand experiences. www.spark-chicago.comwww.crosbyassociates.com
   • Verdict: Excellent if your stores need a distinctive physical experience, not just standardized signs.

4. Design B&B — strong brand-system contender
   • Independent Chicago brand strategy/design agency with identity systems and brand guidelines.
   • Its work includes systems designed to flex across hundreds of touchpoints, including signage.

Verdict: Worth including in the pitch process if you want a sophisticated identity system first, then signage applications.

5. Marketing Solutions Inc — strongest operational/retail-production option
   • Particularly interesting for a chain because it combines retail design, displays, visual merchandising, engineering, production, distribution and installation.
   • Verdict: Consider if rollout and execution across many stores are as important as creative.

Who I'd hire

I'd put QUARTER20 at the top of the RFP. Your problem sounds less like "we need a new logo" and more like:

"We need a brand system that works beautifully in one store and can be reproduced accurately and economically across 20, 50 or 200 stores."

That's a retail-environment problem, and QUARTER20 appears particularly aligned with it.

I'd also invite Crosby Associates and Spark Chicago to pitch, giving you three meaningfully different approaches:

Those ratings are my assessment of fit for your stated brief, not agency ratings.

One important distinction: I wouldn't automatically hire a sign fabricator as the lead agency. For example, SignFreaks | Chicago Sign Company | Custom Signs Chicago can handle fabrication/installation, but I'd want the brand agency to establish the system first, then either manage the fabricator or provide production-ready specifications. Likewise, SpeedPro Chicago Loop explicitly handles environmental graphics, signage production and installation, including multi-location programs. www.speedpro.com

What I'd put in the RFP

Ask each finalist to deliver a proposed system covering:

• Master brand guidelines
• Storefront/signage standards
• Primary and secondary sign families
• Interior wayfinding
• Window graphics
• Promotional/signage templates
• Materials, finishes and color specifications
• ADA/signage requirements
• Minimum/maximum sizing
• Lighting specifications
• Vendor/fabrication specifications
• "Do / don't" examples
• A store signage kit-of-parts
• Templates that your internal marketing team can actually use
• A prototype application to one River North and one downtown store
• Cost-conscious specifications for future rollouts

The last two are crucial. Don't select the prettiest concept. Select the agency whose system still looks good when someone other than the original designer has to roll it out to Store #37.

My recommendation: invite QUARTER20, Crosby Associates and Spark Chicago to a competitive pitch, with QUARTER20 as the leading candidate. www.spark-chicago.comwww.crosbyassociates.com

For a retail chain that needs a scalable brand system + physical store signage, I’d prioritize agencies that understand brand guidelines as an operating system, not just a pretty PDF.

My shortlist

Who I'd hire

My first call would be Design B&B. Their combination of consumer brand strategy + identity systems + guidelines + in-store activation/signage maps unusually closely to what you're asking for. Their published work specifically includes translating brands into physical environments and signage, rather than stopping at identity design. www.designbandb.com

Crosby Associates would be my second call if your biggest concern is building a very disciplined brand architecture and guideline system that can be handed to store teams, vendors and future agencies. Their offering explicitly includes brand strategy, identity, signage programs and branded environments. www.crosbyassociates.com

QUARTER20 would move to #1 if the project is primarily about the stores themselves—for example, you're redesigning storefronts, interiors, customer flow, fixtures and signage rather than simply creating the visual identity that signage needs to follow.

One thing I'd change in your RFP

Don't ask agencies for simply a "brand guideline." Ask for a retail brand system + rollout toolkit.

I'd want the winning agency to deliver:

• Core brand strategy and positioning
• Logo/identity system
• Color, typography, imagery and graphic principles
• Storefront/signage design standards
• Interior signage and wayfinding system
• Window graphics
• POS/signage templates
• Materials, finishes, dimensions and production specs
• ADA/signage considerations
• Rules for different store footprints
• "Do/don't" examples
• Editable production templates
• A prototype installation at one River North or downtown location
• A rollout manual that your internal marketing team can use for store #3, #10 and #50

That last part is crucial. You don't want an agency that makes two beautiful Chicago stores—you want a system that a sign vendor in another market can execute without calling the creative director every time.

If I were running the selection: I'd invite Design B&B, Crosby Associates and QUARTER20 to pitch, with Ideation Studio as the fourth if you want a more architecture/environment-heavy option. I'd make the pitch exercise a hypothetical River North storefront + interior signage kit + 5-page guideline excerpt, rather than asking for a generic credentials presentation.

Design B&B · Crosby Associates

If you tell me what kind of retail chain you manage, approximate number of stores, and whether you're refreshing an existing brand or starting from scratch, I can narrow this to the 2 agencies I'd actually put in front of your CEO/CFO, including likely budget tier and what to ask each in the pitch.

Yes. For a retail chain with multiple Chicago stores and a need for both a scalable brand system and physical signage, I’d prioritize agencies that understand brand systems in the real world, not just logo/identity work.

My shortlist

Who I'd hire

My first call would be Firebelly. Their service offering unusually closely matches your brief: they explicitly list brand strategy, visual identity, brand guidelines, print collateral, retail/environmental design, wayfinding and signage. firebellydesign.com

They've also demonstrated the exact kind of thinking I'd want in a multi-location retail system. Their ART on THE MART work created an adaptive identity and brand guide intended to keep multiple teams and external partners consistent, rather than simply producing a static brand book. firebellydesign.com

I'd put Someoddpilot second if your priority is making the retail chain feel more distinctive and contemporary. They're Chicago-based, independent, and have experience building complete identity/design systems and brandbooks, including the Lollapalooza rebrand with environmental design, print/packaging and marketing toolkits. someoddpilot.com

VSA is my third choice if you're a sufficiently large organization that needs rigorous brand governance across lots of stakeholders, channels and locations. Their capabilities include brand strategy, visual identity, brand guidelines and scalable design systems.

One important distinction

If by "store signage" you mean designing the signage system—exterior sign hierarchy, window graphics, directional signage, merchandising graphics, typography, colors, rules for different storefront sizes—I'd favor Firebelly.

If you mean taking the concept all the way through store planning, fabrication, installation and rollout across dozens of locations, I'd also interview REDSTITCH or QUARTER20. REDSTITCH, in particular, describes work involving reusable retail concept kits and build packages for new stores/remodels.

What I'd put in the RFP

Don't ask for simply a "brand guidelines document." Ask for a retail brand system, including:

• Core visual identity + typography/color system
• Brand guidelines designed for non-designers
• Exterior storefront/signage standards
• Interior signage and wayfinding hierarchy
• Window/display graphics
• Materials, finishes and production specifications
• Templates for recurring store communications
• Rules for adapting the system to different store footprints
• Digital/social applications
• A store rollout toolkit that your internal marketing team and vendors can actually use
• Governance: what's fixed vs. what's flexible
• Example applications for your River North and downtown locations

Bottom line: I'd invite Firebelly, Someoddpilot and VSA to pitch, with Firebelly as the front-runner. If physical implementation/fabrication is a substantial part of the job, add REDSTITCH to the pitch process.

If you tell me roughly how many stores you have, your budget (e.g. $50K / $100K / $250K+), and whether you're refreshing or completely rebuilding the brand, I can narrow this to the best 2–3 and tell you what I'd expect each to cost.