BRETT DAMPIER DESIGN
DESIGN STRATEGY + INTERIOR DESIGN
CAFE EXTERIOR
GRANARY BRANDING
CAFE SEATING
CAFE EXTERIOR
CASE STUDY
Cafe + General Store Remodel
Design Strategy + Design Direction + Interior Design Consulting
A hybrid design project spanning strategy, concept development, space planning, permit documentation, lighting, and material selection, with the owners managing portions of final procurement and implementation.
WHAT
WHERE
Sandpoint, ID
CAFE DESIGN + BRANDING
THE CHALLENGE
The Granary began as the conversion of a 1930s building—originally a church and hospital—into a bakery, café, and general store centered around fresh bread, quality food, and community.
The owners came to the project with plenty of ideas, inspiration, and enthusiasm, but no clearly defined vision connecting them. With multiple stakeholders and little experience navigating the commercial design and construction process, they quickly became overwhelmed by decisions around branding, layout, function, and style.
The challenge was not a lack of ideas. It was knowing which ideas belonged together and why.
THE DISCOVERY
We began by stepping back from the aesthetics and defining what the business was fundamentally trying to create.
Through conversations and Human Design, we identified two complementary strengths:
Sam brought a strong sense of nourishment, service, connection, and seasonal living. Her vision was rooted in making people feel welcomed, cared for, and connected. Emily brought curiosity, innovation, and a desire to continually create new experiences and bring people together. Together, these became the foundation for a space that could feel both nurturing and dynamic, a place people would return to not only for food, but for connection.
The process also revealed opportunities that weren't immediately obvious: moving the bakery into the main space would allow guests to see the making process and connect directly with Sam, while a flexible layout could support the pop-up events and community programming Emily envisioned.
THE NORTH STAR
The concept centered around food as a love language: a warm, generous, handcrafted environment where the quality of the food and the people behind it could take center stage.
Nourishing · Abundant · September Light · Community · Welcoming · Cozy· Quality
Three ideas shaped the design:
THE MODERN BARN
A simple, pared-back architectural framework that allowed the products, people, and history of the building to shine.
THE PANTRY
The warmth and familiarity of a working kitchen, pantry, and gathering around the table informed the space's hospitality and materiality.
BREAD AS CRAFT
The process and texture of bread became a visual language—from grain sacks and wheat to butcher block, natural materials, warm autumnal tones, and handcrafted details.
FROM VISION TO DESIGN
The strategy extended beyond the look and feel into the function of the business.
We reconsidered the location of the bakery so that the making of the bread became part of the customer experience rather than something hidden in a back-of-house space.
We optimized the floor plan around customer flow, employee efficiency, equipment requirements, and future programming, helping the owners understand how seemingly small design decisions could affect staffing, operating costs, and profitability.
Natural daylight was maximized for both staff and guests, while a previously underutilized garden was transformed into a year-round patio, expanding seating capacity and creating opportunities for community events.
The result was a space where brand, business strategy, architecture, and experience all reinforce the same idea.
THE RESULT
What began as a collection of ideas became a clear, cohesive vision for the business and the environment supporting it.
The owners gained confidence in their decisions, avoided costly missteps, and created a space designed around both the customer experience and the realities of running the business.
The result is a simple but elevated community gathering place that has become deeply connected to the local community.
