Barton
Milkbar

Client

Role

Barton Milkbar,
James Laskie

Brand Designer

Year

Dec 2020

I was commissioned to develop the branding and visual identity for Barton Café, a renovated 1920s milkbar-turned café and restaurant. The scope included logo development, staff apparel, printed collateral, and shop signage. The client wanted to preserve the building’s original colour palette to honour its heritage, so the identity needed to feel connected to the space while introducing a refreshed, contemporary tone.

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After exploring numerous type directions and compositions, we arrived at a singular cursive wordmark that captured the warm, welcoming nature of the café. The final logotype is a hybrid of several cursive fonts, refined into a custom treatment featuring sharp lines softened by rounded edges. The result is a timeless mark that complements the building’s character while giving Barton Café a distinct visual presence.

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The brand identity was extremely well received. Owner James regularly shares stories of customers commenting on how much they love the feel of the café. The identity has strengthened the atmosphere of the space and continues to be embraced by both staff and regulars.

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Barton Milk Bar is a European-style cafe in Hawthorn, Victoria, that was transformed from a historic grocer (est. 1915) into a milk bar in the 1960s.

The current business, run by siblings James and Cat Laskie, retains some original signage while offering a modern menu with coffee, popular cafe dishes, and classic milk bar staples like milk, lollies, and newspapers. It is a popular community spot with indoor and outdoor seating.