Uwajimaya

The rich history of the beloved family-run grocer Uwajimaya is deeply rooted in the Pacific Northwest, where the brand grew from selling fish cakes out of a truck in Tacoma, Washington into a multi-store empire in the Cascadia region. The Moriguchi family approached Gensler for help refining its brand voice and developing a toolkit that could extend across all its communications. After studying Uwajimaya’s ethos and exploring its cultural impact, our brand design team created a kit-of-parts that includes mission and values, tone of voice, typography, color, and illustration. The toolkit extends across all media platforms — including an in-store signage system also designed by Gensler. The signage system eases navigation for shoppers, encourages discovery, and connects with the community through history and tradition — all while utilizing economical and sustainable materials.