Boudin Sourdough Bakery

Established in 1849 at the start of the California Gold Rush, the Boudin Sourdough Bakery is the oldest retail establishment in San Francisco. Its authentic historic connection to the gold rush, the founding of the city and real sourdough bread made the bakery a natural tourist attraction—and the reason Boudin decided to build its flagship venue at Fisherman’s Wharf. We were commissioned to design and implement a comprehensive identity for the complex, including curating and design a Boudin Museum and Bakery Tour, internal and external signage for a new café and retail environment, graphics for Bistro Boudin, and assorted collateral in connection with this new location. The challenge was to reinforce the authentic ties to the Bay Area’s history, while creating a retail attraction would be a destination in itself to the thousands of tourists who visit Fisherman’s Wharf each year.

     The white silo, which holds the bakery’s flour, is branded with the company’s logo.

A welcoming sea of signs adds to the legendary Barbary Coast character of the site.

Interactive kiosks surrounding the bread sculpture let visitors learn their specific "bread" personality. The Boudin museum showcases the importance of sourdough bread to both San Francisco's and gold mining's history.

© 2021 Studio Hinrichs