Region’s first brewery gets a VFC makeover!
Only one brewpub in Phoenixville Pennsylvania was first. In 2018, the small southeastern Pennsylvania town of 16,440 ranks in the national top 10 for most breweries per capita but it all started twenty years ago with the Sly Fox Brewhouse & Eatery.
Sly Fox is widely recognized among the region’s best and most enduring independent craft breweries and, since their inaugural brew in 1995, have crafted more than 100 different top-notch beers.
With the rapid and recent influx of competition that includes nine other breweries mostly in a two-square block section of the historic downtown district, the original Sly Fox Brewhouse & Eatery required reevaluation. VFC consulted on the much-loved gastropub’s retrofitting of an old Blockbuster video store when they relocated from their original space and we did again on the heels of the rebranding of the entire brewery offering.
VFC first identified all of the current issues in the interior and exterior design and prioritized with Sly Fox’s Pete Gianopolous, founder and managing partner, to deliver solutions that solved problems economically while introducing the new brand to the busy pub.
Besides the rebranding and the interior and exterior upgrades, Sly Fox Brewhouse & Eatery has retained a new chef with a first class pedigree. Chef Jim Trainer, who last ran the kitchen at the Kimberton Inn for more than ten years, has revamped the Sly Fox menu and introduced daily specials as inviting as the new decor.
Not only is Phoenixville’s Sly Fox Brewhouse & Eatery the original craft beer destination with more award-winning beers than any other local brewery, but they’re the only one with acres of free parking!
VFC devised a plan to economically introduce the brewery rebrand to Sly Fox’s Phoenixville location while improving the restaurant’s aesthetic. Everything VFC did on this project started with the overarching goals of simplicity, consistency and cleanliness. Sly Fox has a lot of established character, a proven portfolio of beers and the reputation as a really fun spot—VFC wanted to retain all of that while adding brand touches and a fresh appearance for regulars and new patrons to enjoy.
Inside the restaurant, de-cluttering became the goal so that the pub could start with a blank slate. With new digital beer boards on the way, fresh paint throughout, new carpeting and some layout changes to the dining rooms, it was important to establish an open, inviting interior design. Decor is relegated to brewery promotions past and present and communications about brewery events and pub specials all are centralized.
Here, the main sign for the restaurant is upgraded to include a new backlit logo and stylized typography accentuated with cedar fencing and color coordinated umbrellas. The rustic wood theme that is a compelling component in brewery marketing is realized in touches throughout all Sly Fox locations now and underscores the complete brand transformation.
