How Nouvelle Idée designed their own sandwich shop in Montreal

Picture this: you’re tasked with designing the identity for a new sandwich shop. Standard brief, right? Except this time, you’re not just the creative director – you’re also putting your own money on the line as co-owner. Suddenly, every design decision carries extra weight. That’s exactly the position Justin Daoust found himself in when designing Renzo Sandwich, a new deli that opened three months ago just steps from his Montreal agency Nouvelle Idée’s office in Mile-End. What started as a dream of opening a neighbourhood sandwich shop became a fascinating case study in how personal investment can both complicate and elevate the creative process. The result is an identity that feels authentically Montreal – not in the touristy, maple leaf sort of way, but in the lived-in, sports-obsessed, culturally complex way that locals actually experience the city. The hand-drawn wordmark captures something distinctly neighbourhood-ish, with curving letterforms that suggest comfort and familiarity. It’s the kind of logo that could easily have existed for decades. “Being both business partners and creative director adds an extra challenge – it makes the creative process even more complex,” Daoust explains. “Decisions are harder to make, and constant questioning is part of the daily routine.” Rather than let this paralysis-by-analysis derail the project, the team leaned into collaboration, involving designers Samuel Lauzon, Arianne Thivierge, Luc Verreault, and Yacine to bring fresh perspectives.