Leanne Beano, the ambitious industrialist behind Leanne’s Kitchen and Happy Cooking, approached RCG’s interior design director, John Lenihan, to create a store environment for a premium Vietnamese sandwich to go offering. Working with a hole-in-the-wall retail space on a discreet inner-city alleyway, we identified the need for the final design to attract attention and maximise space. The brand needed to be distinctive and genuine. The first step in the process was developing a name, brand signature, graphic and fitout look. Then the 100 year old building was structurally reinforced, a new entryway created and a new brand and delivery system was implemented.

Thanks to a clever beam of ‘light’ illuminating the stores exterior, the result is a striking oasis within an otherwise grungy alleyway that attracts customers to try the expertly crafted Bánh Mì. The brand promise was more than fulfilled and sales took off immediately and since then have remained consistent. Amongst the local Vietnamese and Kiwi community alike, the new brand has already gathered a reputation for its unique environment, authentic food and quality experience. RCG are property, architecture, design and research experts and we create commercially successful environments.

Design: RCG