Monstera's is a bookshop and plant store in the suburbs of Kansas City, owned by Mrs. Hot Dog herself: my wife, Kate. She wished our neighborhood had an independent bookstore and it was her dream job – so she quit her corporate career and made it happen.

I was glad to create the brand identity, professional e-commerce website, social media, and merch… but because of the family connection, I also had to polish the floors, paint the walls, and build the bookshelves in my driveway. AND, I still have to sweep the parking lot every Saturday.

We set out to build a brand that is authentically local, a little bit eccentric, and feels like it has history. We want it to feel like this bookstore has been around for 30 years.

We leaned in to retro-themed colors and fonts, hand-drawn illustrations, and even took inspiration from the checkerboard flooring in the shop. I'm really proud of how fun and inviting our store and brand turned out.

Learn more (and maybe buy some books) at monsterasbooks.com.