PATTERNS AND TONES

“Caspers Famous Hot Dogs - Albany No. 1” 2018 At it again this week with my obsession to capture all Caspers Famous Hot Dog stands throughout the Bay Area. I can remember hanging out in this Albany, CA location as a child, since it was right down the street from my grandmother's house on San Pablo Avenue. Capturing the  everyday life of a by-gone era that still exists is a thrill. You can enter a memory, you can taste the past. These 60's structures were impervious to the local neighborhoods around them. Each location is an exact replica of the one before it, perhaps even being a precursor to their fast food chain rivals who cranked out duplicate franchises around America.  The branding and design of fast-food  restaurants changes on a regular basis nowadays. Every three years, most undergo  new paint, light fixtures, menu boards, and floor treatments. It seems every ten years they undergo a full-on redesign: tearing out seats, updating exterior architectur...

“Caspers Famous Hot Dog - Dublin No. 1” 2018 After celebrating Caspers perfectly designed logo, their 60's shingled architecture comes in a close second to design perfection. Keeping the flagstone at the base, these iconic structures remind me of take out boxes. I occasional hung out at this Dublin location when I was in high-school. In my 20's, I even did a photo shoot for Tower Record's Pulse magazine at this location. You can read about that here . The commercial vernacular of this architectural style is characterized by its use of wooden shingles.  Typically made of decay-resistant cedar,  wood shingles and shakes  are prized for their rustic beauty and ability to adapt to various architectural styles. However, due to their high degree of flammability, many regions of the country have restricted them. In addition, shingles and shakes are prone to rot, splinter, crack, and cup. They can be pried loose by wind and change color if not properly maintained....

"Caspers, Oakland No. 1" Nothing makes me think of home more than the graphics of a Caspers Famous Hot Dogs ® sign. The black outline around the dog, buns and condiments are a perfect accent around the three dimensional visuals that physically pop out of the plastic. And the bratwurst Deutsch Gothic type font without a possessive apostrophe makes this a perfect visual for me. The logo reminds me of the work of Paul Rand , David Weidman or James Flora  - three of my favorite mid-century graphic designers and illustrators. The visual message is no nonsense. When you come to Caspers, this is what you get. Although I only take my dog with relish and mustard with the occasional addition of sauerkraut, the round tomatoes and onion slice balance out the horizontal lines of the dog and buns. This 6T's graphic was a staple of my childhood. I grew up a few blocks aways from this Caspers on Telegraph Avenue in Oakland and went to nursery school down the street. I'm g...