Bareis + Nicolaus builds Curious Coffee’s identity from the cherry out

In Ann Arbor, Michigan, Mike Bawden of Curious Coffee roasts light to let exceptional beans shine. He also teaches – workshops and brewing courses designed to strip away the intimidation that often surrounds specialty coffee. When Stuttgart and Hamburg-based studio Bareis + Nicolaus set out to create the brand’s identity, they knew these two pillars needed to coexist without hierarchy. The result is a modular system rooted in the coffee cherry itself, where every visual element lives within a framework built from the source. The logo begins with a circle – the coffee cherry that contains two beans. In Bareis + Nicolaus’s design, these beans open up like a pair of brackets, creating what the studio calls the “CC brackets.” This isn’t merely decorative. The brackets function as a modular frame that expands, rotates, and interacts with imagery, text and colour across every application. From packaging to merchandise to digital platforms, the brackets provide a consistent yet flexible structure. Everything related to coffee – tasting, learning, brewing – takes place within this frame, making the system both open and inclusive. For the logo itself, Bareis + Nicolaus created a custom typeface inspired by stencil lettering. The letterforms were deliberately designed to look unusual and intriguing – a visual prompt to spark curiosity and invite exploration. To balance this expressive mark, the studio selected Suisse Int’l as the supporting typeface. Its clean, structured form provides clarity and legibility, creating a contrast that reinforces the brand’s dual nature: imaginative yet educational, curious yet precise.