Concept for themed food & beverage retail store
Modeled in Maya, graphics created in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop
Backstory
Trudy Watson was raised in the second-story apartment of the Cochran building with her father, Dave and her mother, Maggie. A decorative arc that read “1901 – Cochran Building” adorned the top of the second-story apartment. B.B. Cochran was the owner and rented the apartment to the Watsons. He operated a magic shop on the first floor and enjoyed spending time with Trudy in his shop. She was fascinated by his card tricks and always begged to know his secrets. Being an only child, she was often found in his shop making friends with his rabbits which were never used in tricks, instead they were kept as a friend for Trudy.
Trudy’s maternal grandparents, the Browns, owned a farm and lived in a beautiful Victorian farmhouse just a short walk from the town square. This farmhouse is where Trudy’s mother, Maggie and her five older brothers were raised. Maggie took a special interest in helping her mother cook and loved creating new recipes. Mrs. Brown was famous for her fried chicken – a recipe that won first prize at the county fair so many times that she was forced to be the new judge of the contest so that others could have a chance to win. The mayor even asked Maggie and her mother to make special dinners for any guests of honor that happened to be traveling through town.
After all the boys moved out of the house to start jobs in the city, the Browns converted their home into a bed and breakfast where Maggie and her mother could host guests and provide delicious meals three times per day. This became incredibly popular, and they expanded their dining concept by converting their living room into a second dining room, using extra tables built from wood on the farm and covered in red and white checkered tablecloths. In 1893 Mr. Brown fashioned a small sign out front that read “Hometown Boarding House”. A few years later the Browns changed the sign to read “Maggie Brown’s Famous Fried Chicken” in honor of their daughter, and began to operate as a restaurant primarily. After enjoying the Brown’s hospitality and delicious food, a writer from the Chicago Tribune wrote an article about their prize-winning chicken and the response was so great that Maggie’s father expanded the patio on the side of their home to accommodate more diners in the summer months when travelers would stop on their way to and from the city.
The author of the article, Dave Watson, was not only enamored by the delicious food that Maggie and her mother prepared, but also the quiet ambience and friendly atmosphere that their town offered while only being a train ride away from his job in the city. Now a frequent patron of Maggie Brown’s restaurant, Dave and Maggie fell in love in 1899, married soon after, and moved into the second story apartment of the Cochran building in 1901. That same year saw the birth of their first and only child, Trudy. Soon after her birth, Dave left his job in the city and started their town’s first newspaper, The Hometown Press.
Trudy had a wonderful childhood growing up during the turn of the century. Their town became a destination for summer travelers looking to leave the city for a bit which brought the introduction of many new and exciting things to town. The town saw the construction of a train station, a beautiful park with a gazebo, and a new fire station. Although the town population was only 247 according to the 1910 census, the mayor estimated that the town saw an additional 1500 visitors each summer, with most attending the popular county fair that spanned five days each July.
With so much to offer in terms of entertainment and fun, Trudy looked forward to the fair each year. She felt the fairgrounds come alive with the electric lights, livestock expositions, and in 1909, for the first time, a carnival. Much like Maggie and Mrs. Brown, Trudy’s favorite part of the fair was the cooking and baking competitions. While her mother and grandmother were keen on the savory competitions, Trudy loved submitting entries into the sweet categories. With a strong family reputation, Trudy paved a new path in this category and impressed the judges, frequently winning first prize. Shortened cakes, double crust pies, fried doughnuts, and canned fruits were her specialty.
Trudy’s maternal grandparents, the Browns, owned a farm and lived in a beautiful Victorian farmhouse just a short walk from the town square. This farmhouse is where Trudy’s mother, Maggie and her five older brothers were raised. Maggie took a special interest in helping her mother cook and loved creating new recipes. Mrs. Brown was famous for her fried chicken – a recipe that won first prize at the county fair so many times that she was forced to be the new judge of the contest so that others could have a chance to win. The mayor even asked Maggie and her mother to make special dinners for any guests of honor that happened to be traveling through town.
After all the boys moved out of the house to start jobs in the city, the Browns converted their home into a bed and breakfast where Maggie and her mother could host guests and provide delicious meals three times per day. This became incredibly popular, and they expanded their dining concept by converting their living room into a second dining room, using extra tables built from wood on the farm and covered in red and white checkered tablecloths. In 1893 Mr. Brown fashioned a small sign out front that read “Hometown Boarding House”. A few years later the Browns changed the sign to read “Maggie Brown’s Famous Fried Chicken” in honor of their daughter, and began to operate as a restaurant primarily. After enjoying the Brown’s hospitality and delicious food, a writer from the Chicago Tribune wrote an article about their prize-winning chicken and the response was so great that Maggie’s father expanded the patio on the side of their home to accommodate more diners in the summer months when travelers would stop on their way to and from the city.
The author of the article, Dave Watson, was not only enamored by the delicious food that Maggie and her mother prepared, but also the quiet ambience and friendly atmosphere that their town offered while only being a train ride away from his job in the city. Now a frequent patron of Maggie Brown’s restaurant, Dave and Maggie fell in love in 1899, married soon after, and moved into the second story apartment of the Cochran building in 1901. That same year saw the birth of their first and only child, Trudy. Soon after her birth, Dave left his job in the city and started their town’s first newspaper, The Hometown Press.
Trudy had a wonderful childhood growing up during the turn of the century. Their town became a destination for summer travelers looking to leave the city for a bit which brought the introduction of many new and exciting things to town. The town saw the construction of a train station, a beautiful park with a gazebo, and a new fire station. Although the town population was only 247 according to the 1910 census, the mayor estimated that the town saw an additional 1500 visitors each summer, with most attending the popular county fair that spanned five days each July.
With so much to offer in terms of entertainment and fun, Trudy looked forward to the fair each year. She felt the fairgrounds come alive with the electric lights, livestock expositions, and in 1909, for the first time, a carnival. Much like Maggie and Mrs. Brown, Trudy’s favorite part of the fair was the cooking and baking competitions. While her mother and grandmother were keen on the savory competitions, Trudy loved submitting entries into the sweet categories. With a strong family reputation, Trudy paved a new path in this category and impressed the judges, frequently winning first prize. Shortened cakes, double crust pies, fried doughnuts, and canned fruits were her specialty.
Trudy collected cookbooks and was always introducing her town to the newest flavors and most exciting treats. Whenever she would come up with something new, Trudy would always bring a sample for B.B. to try in his shop. She knew that her carrot cake recipe was his favorite so she would regularly treat him to a slice while bringing the leftover carrots to his rabbits. One day when she arrived at his store to deliver his usual slice, she noticed a letter on the door with her name on it. She set the plate to the ground in order to open the letter and a shiny brass key fell out of the envelope. She picked up the key and read the note:
“Trudy, I know you have dreamed of opening your own sweet shoppe for some time – enclosed is the key that unlocks your new dream. Until we meet again, B.B.”
Trudy opened the door, took a few slow steps and noted the absence of B.B.’s cheerful greeting, which made the situation bittersweet. She admired the penny tile floor, the tin ceilings, and the ornate lighting fixtures and wall sconces – all things she had not particularly noticed before. Trudy went to work immediately to plan the layout of the store, the menu, and asked her father to make a sign for out front.
Trudy’s Sweet Shoppe opened on May 29, 1926, just in time for the busy summer season. Her menu featured cookies, caramel apples, cupcakes, and of course, slices of “B.B.’s carrot cake”. The oak bookshelves in the store showcased her collection of Mrs. Scott's Seasonal Cookbooks as well as a few of B.B.’s leftover magic pieces which she kept as decorations. After the summer rush of 1926 was over, Trudy introduced cinnamon sugar and apple cider doughnuts in the Autumn for the town’s first Harvest Festival and they sold so well that she made doughnuts a mainstay on her menu. When the pharmacy next door to her shop moved to a larger storefront across town, Trudy expanded her store to accommodate the overwhelming increase in doughnut sales. Trudy’s Sweet Shoppe and Hometown Doughnut still operate today, offering delicious treats that often sell out before noon.
“Trudy, I know you have dreamed of opening your own sweet shoppe for some time – enclosed is the key that unlocks your new dream. Until we meet again, B.B.”
Trudy opened the door, took a few slow steps and noted the absence of B.B.’s cheerful greeting, which made the situation bittersweet. She admired the penny tile floor, the tin ceilings, and the ornate lighting fixtures and wall sconces – all things she had not particularly noticed before. Trudy went to work immediately to plan the layout of the store, the menu, and asked her father to make a sign for out front.
Trudy’s Sweet Shoppe opened on May 29, 1926, just in time for the busy summer season. Her menu featured cookies, caramel apples, cupcakes, and of course, slices of “B.B.’s carrot cake”. The oak bookshelves in the store showcased her collection of Mrs. Scott's Seasonal Cookbooks as well as a few of B.B.’s leftover magic pieces which she kept as decorations. After the summer rush of 1926 was over, Trudy introduced cinnamon sugar and apple cider doughnuts in the Autumn for the town’s first Harvest Festival and they sold so well that she made doughnuts a mainstay on her menu. When the pharmacy next door to her shop moved to a larger storefront across town, Trudy expanded her store to accommodate the overwhelming increase in doughnut sales. Trudy’s Sweet Shoppe and Hometown Doughnut still operate today, offering delicious treats that often sell out before noon.