When Chapel Bar set out to open its doors in Downtown Weatherford, the vision extended far beyond creating a new cocktail destination. Located inside the historic Cotten-Bratton Building, a cornerstone of the city since 1883, Chapel Bar sought to honor the building’s layered past while introducing a refined, modern Western speakeasy experience.
Bluebird Creative partnered with founder Christian Lehrmann to develop a brand identity and website that preserved the soul of the space—its stained glass, original hardwood floors, and former chapel pews—while positioning Chapel Bar as a sophisticated new gathering place for craft cocktails, curated wines, intimate events, and community-driven experiences. The result is a brand and digital presence that seamlessly bridges history and hospitality, inviting guests to experience the past through a contemporary lens.
The primary challenge was balancing historic reverence with the pre-existing event space and branding Jazz Chapel. Chapel Bar occupies the former reception entryway of a funeral home chapel—complete with preserved pews and pulpit—making the location itself one of the brand’s most powerful storytelling assets. The identity and website needed to celebrate that history without feeling dated, theatrical, or gimmicky.
Additionally, Chapel Bar functions as both a standalone cocktail bar and the preferred catering partner for Jazz Chapel events, hosting everything from weddings and corporate gatherings to supper clubs and concert series. Bluebird Creative was tasked with creating a brand system and website that could flex across multiple audiences and use cases, while remaining cohesive, elevated, and unmistakably rooted in Weatherford’s heritage.
The Brand System
Felxibility of use was a chief requirement for this brand. Knowing the brand elements would be prevalent in print, signage and digital assets, our team created a brand family of a full logo, wordmark logo, secondary logo, alternate logo and brandmark along with accompanying iconography that is used throughout all brand touch points. The result is a flexible brand that is easily recognizable no matter the placement.
Brand Applications: Print and Web
After the initial brand was created, Bluebird Creative developed the brand applications including the menu, costers, matchbooks and full website built on a simple Squarespace platform. The bar is the hottest new spot to grab a drink in the historic Weatherford square and a local favorite.
Bluebird Creative delivered a brand identity and website experience that preserve the integrity of the Cotten-Bratton building while amplifying Chapel Bar’s distinct point of view. Through thoughtful typography, restrained color palettes, and historically inspired design cues, the brand reflects the architecture and spirit of the space without overshadowing it.
The website serves as a digital extension of the experience—guiding guests through the story of the building, the concept, and upcoming events, while positioning Chapel Bar as an anchor within Downtown Weatherford’s revitalized entertainment district alongside Zeno’s on the Square, Jazz Chapel, and Capital Hatters.
By grounding the brand in place and purpose, Bluebird Creative helped Chapel Bar launch with authenticity, clarity, and cultural resonance—ensuring the space’s 140+ year history is not only preserved, but meaningfully experienced by a new generation of patrons.