53 KORN DESIGN
“What is amazing about Steuben’s is its authenticity,” says Denise Korn of Korn Design, a Boston-based design firm that has family ties to the original Steuben’s. To sum up this Denver destination restaurant in design-speak, imagine high design meets ’50s kitsch. With a cavewoman standing strong-armed with sword in hand on the back and a clean retro cover, the restaurant’s menu bursts with more than just food. And then there’s the mile-long drink list and the even longer history.

Steuben’s friendly brand grew out of Korn’s family tree. The designer explains: “The renowned Denver restaurateur Josh Wolkon is my first cousin, and Steuben’s Boston was owned by our great-uncles Max and Joe.” And consider that the original Steuben’s was where acts like the Rat Pack performed as a springboard to fame. With a brand this rich, Korn felt the best design approach was to work with existing graphics while establishing a new identity for the restaurant’s Denver location. “We hand-drew the logotype,” says Korn. “It is not from the original [but] a completely new interpretation to fit the architecture and style while still giving reference to the past.” And thus design carries on the family lineage, with a brand history “newly reinvented and relevant.” by Alyson Beaton

Korn Design | Art Directors: Denise Korn, Javier Cortés | Designer: Sarah Daley | Client: Joshua Wolkon | www.korndesign.com