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In previous installments of this column, I told dear readers of recent plans to open a storefront for my business Flying Monkey, in Philadelphia's upscale Reading Terminal Market. I also described some of the practical details of designing the bakery for maximum efficiency and appeal. This week, I cover some of the more fun decisions that must be made before the Monkey can launch.
Packaging: The packaging of my product is very important to me. My philosophy is if you're going to indulge in a little sweet "something-something," it should be a treat: a little luxury in a cute little bag or box to take you away for a few moments. A little indulgent parenthesis, so to speak. Simply tying a box of brownies up with a soft blue satin ribbon can make it just a wee bit more special. And you may not even notice the calorie count as much if you love the box that they come in!
My colors are a light blue and chocolate brown. I will have some prewrapped boxes of brownies and marshmallows available for quick purchase; I haven't settled on gift-wrap yet. Ideally, I'd like brown paper with white polka dots, but that doesn't appear to exist, so until I can afford customized wrap, I will probably settle on a mod-ish brown and blue pattern. Baby blue satin ribbon will accent the wrap. As long as it's not cost prohibitive, I would like to use the ribbon on most boxes that leave the shop. It's just that something extra that people will remember about Flying Monkey.
As for bags, I plan on having custom plastic shopping bags made in a light blue with brown logo, but they will not be ready for months. So for the time being, I've decided to use stock plastic shopping bags that I will either add a sticker to or have hotstamped (a quick yet more expensive way of imprinting bags).
Cards and Menus: OK, I admit, I haven't gotten this far yet. Although we've designed the sign, which should be the basis for the look of the cards and menu. Choosing a font was one of those details that you realize is quite important. This is especially true if you don't have a logo; the way the words look is what's going to give the feeling of the establishment. I settled on a block font with small seraphs to invoke a casual French feel.
The Logo: Now you'd think I'd have the logo at the top of this list because it's such an important element in the details. I've actually been looking for "the right monkey" since the inception of Flying Monkey and it's been difficult. Using an animal as a logo for a food business is tricky business--you don't want him to look too monkeyish (i.e., hairy! Or scary!). Recently I decided to change the logo concept from a winged monkey to an aviator monkey (Thanks, JR!). I hope this idea will lend itself to a sweeter, more sophisticated monkey than the Wizard of Oz type (which was an unfortunate coincidence rather than intent).
I hired a company to work on this idea, but I ended up letting them go after I realized that they weren't listening to me and weren't taking the nature and style of my business into account. We went from one extreme to the other: from a too-cute Red Baron-style monkey to a very severe futurist monkey. And they were being paid by the hour. It turned out to be an expensive mistake, and I realize that I should have followed my own advice a la choosing my design planning. That is, go with your gut and make sure your designer understands you and will work for your vision, not theirs. I'm learning every day!
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The Monkey Diaries: Details, Details
Packaging: The packaging of my product is very important to me. My philosophy is if you're going to indulge in a little sweet "something-something," it should be a treat: a little luxury in a cute little bag or box to take you away for a few moments. A little indulgent parenthesis, so to speak. Simply tying a box of brownies up with a soft blue satin ribbon can make it just a wee bit more special. And you may not even notice the calorie count as much if you love the box that they come in!
My colors are a light blue and chocolate brown. I will have some prewrapped boxes of brownies and marshmallows available for quick purchase; I haven't settled on gift-wrap yet. Ideally, I'd like brown paper with white polka dots, but that doesn't appear to exist, so until I can afford customized wrap, I will probably settle on a mod-ish brown and blue pattern. Baby blue satin ribbon will accent the wrap. As long as it's not cost prohibitive, I would like to use the ribbon on most boxes that leave the shop. It's just that something extra that people will remember about Flying Monkey.
As for bags, I plan on having custom plastic shopping bags made in a light blue with brown logo, but they will not be ready for months. So for the time being, I've decided to use stock plastic shopping bags that I will either add a sticker to or have hotstamped (a quick yet more expensive way of imprinting bags).
Cards and Menus: OK, I admit, I haven't gotten this far yet. Although we've designed the sign, which should be the basis for the look of the cards and menu. Choosing a font was one of those details that you realize is quite important. This is especially true if you don't have a logo; the way the words look is what's going to give the feeling of the establishment. I settled on a block font with small seraphs to invoke a casual French feel.
The Logo: Now you'd think I'd have the logo at the top of this list because it's such an important element in the details. I've actually been looking for "the right monkey" since the inception of Flying Monkey and it's been difficult. Using an animal as a logo for a food business is tricky business--you don't want him to look too monkeyish (i.e., hairy! Or scary!). Recently I decided to change the logo concept from a winged monkey to an aviator monkey (Thanks, JR!). I hope this idea will lend itself to a sweeter, more sophisticated monkey than the Wizard of Oz type (which was an unfortunate coincidence rather than intent).
I hired a company to work on this idea, but I ended up letting them go after I realized that they weren't listening to me and weren't taking the nature and style of my business into account. We went from one extreme to the other: from a too-cute Red Baron-style monkey to a very severe futurist monkey. And they were being paid by the hour. It turned out to be an expensive mistake, and I realize that I should have followed my own advice a la choosing my design planning. That is, go with your gut and make sure your designer understands you and will work for your vision, not theirs. I'm learning every day!
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Hey. Use your own ideas. Don't hire professionals to mess up your quaint project. Look for a stuffed monkey to pattern your logo after. They usually have pleasant looking faces, and draw your own logo. Only you know what you want. If you want it to be girlie looking, use an old english font for your wording, and if not, there are hundreds from which to choose. Just make sure it is very legible. Some fonts tend to run together, making it difficult to read. On the other hand, it has to catch the eye, so make it catchy. Good luck Pita Pockets
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©2026 CDKitchen, Inc. No reproduction or distribution of any portion of this article is allowed without express permission from CDKitchen, Inc.
To share this article with others, you may link to this page:
https://www.cdkitchen.com/cooking-experts/rebecca-michaels/227-flying-monkey-details/