Building a Community-Centered Brand for Up Up Books
Up Up Books opened their doors in Portland’s Buckman neighborhood, establishing itself as a welcoming space for readers, community advocates, and indie publishers.
When they came to Perspektiiv Design Co., their goal was to create a brand identity that would reflect their mission and serve as a platform for community-building. We've been proud to support them with branding, website design, copywriting, and creating social media templates, merchandise, and more to support their visual foundation. Let’s dive into the creative.
The Challenge
Up Up Books, a brand new business, needed a memorable and cohesive brand that could work across multiple touchpoints—from its physical store to its online presence. As a community hub, it also needed a user-friendly website that would engage visitors, support its event-hosting capabilities, and allow it to connect with Portland’s local audience through workshops and curated book recommendations.
Our Solution
For Up Up Books, our approach went beyond visual branding; we developed a strategic identity that would help them become a cornerstone of their community while ensuring they stood out in a crowded marketplace. By blending thoughtful design, strong messaging, and cohesive digital and physical experiences, we transformed their bookstore into a dynamic, community-driven brand.
Photography by Dibble Photography
Interior Design by Deyer Studio
Logo Design
The primary logo for Up Up Books combines simplicity and elegance with a playful, Portland-centric vibe. The Bauhaus-style icon showcases a sun rising over a pattern of triangles, an abstract reflection of dog-eared book pages. The icon was designed to be simple and memorable. It’s showcased in the store on a custom metal grid (brought to life by Deyer Studio) behind the checkout counter, creating an elevated and creative experience for customers.
Typography
We utilized a clean, modern sans-serif typeface that draws inspiration from the mid-century modern (MCM) aesthetic, ensuring the logo felt approachable while staying timeless. The addition of multicolored lettering brought an element of joy and discovery, aligning perfectly with the bookstore’s values of community advocacy and curated selections.
Color Palette
We curated a color palette inspired by Portland’s natural beauty and retro charm, featuring slightly muted primary colors. These colors—such as Fiery Red and Cobalt Blue—help create a vibrant, inviting atmosphere within the store while maintaining a modern feel across all digital platforms, including their website. The brand colors were used on the bookshelves and other features of the bookstore interior, creating a cohesive brand experience from digital to inperson.
Website Design
The Up Up Books website played a pivotal role in their brand identity. We designed a clean, easy-to-navigate interface on Squarespace that highlights their unique offerings, such as workshops, book clubs, and curated book selections. The website also integrates their brand values into every page, emphasizing the bookstore's focus on community and inclusivity. The website copy maintains a welcoming and straightforward vibe, offering clarity as customers interact with the site.
⭐️ Event Hosting & Community Space
The website promotes Up Up Books as a free space for hosting community events, book clubs, and workshops. The "Host a Gathering" section makes it easy for local organizations and individuals to request the space for their events, reinforcing the bookstore's role as a hub for community engagement
📚 Book Recommendations & Online Orders
The “Order a Book” feature allows visitors to browse a carefully curated selection of books from indie publishers. Each recommendation aligns with the bookstore’s mission of uplifting diverse voices, offering both a physical and digital space for discovery.
📆 Event Calendar & Engagement
The integration of an up-to-date events calendar keeps the local community engaged with upcoming poetry readings, book launches, and knitting meet-ups, reinforcing their advocacy for community involvement.
Social Media Design
To maintain brand consistency, we developed custom Canva Social Media Templates that the bookstore can use to promote events and new arrivals, ensuring their marketing aligns with the aesthetic of the physical store.
We also developed custom Instagram Highlight Icons to organize their story content in a visually consistent and appealing way. These icons also provide an additional brand element to use throughout marketing materials, offering clarity and an added design feature.
Merchandise Design
Tote bags, bookmarks, and branded buttons that align with the bookstore’s ethos and aesthetic were created to expand the Up Up books brand. These items serve not only as promotional tools but as a way for customers to feel connected to the brand on a deeper level. Branded merchandise helps spread the word organically, turning customers into advocates for the store. 📚
The Outcome
Since their launch, Up Up Books has grown into a beloved community space, attracting a dedicated local audience.
Since its opening, Up Up Books has grown into a beloved community bookstore, in no small part due to the cohesive and strategic branding that we developed. The store’s identity resonates with its audience, creating a sense of belonging and trust that has translated into strong foot traffic, repeat customers, and a thriving online presence. From the custom-designed website to the thoughtful in-store signage and branded merchandise, every aspect of Up Up Books' branding was designed with the customer in mind, helping the bookstore achieve its business goals while staying true to its mission.
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