Culver&Main
Back to the future at a new all day cafe in Culver City
Client
Culver&Main
SCOPE
Brand Strategy
Brand Storytelling
Creative Direction
Identity
Collateral
TIMELINE
2024-2025
The Ask
In LA, it’s a constant race to be the brand that’s new and next – so it was refreshing when restaurateur Victor Tyler said he wanted to step back and go a little old school.
Victor’s vision was for an all-day cafe that harkened back to the classic American diner. It’s the spot in the center of town where everyone stops for coffee and lunch, dates and family dinners. At Culver&Main, Victor imagined a thriving social hub and third space that would connect the community, welcome all ages, and serve a menu with broad appeal.
As a hospitality pro who’d seen our work with community-based culinary brands like Zucker’s and Shubie’s – as well as LA icons like Mozza and The Barish – Victor also understood that success would rely as much on a well-crafted mission and vision as it did great design.
Culver&Main needed a brand steward to skillfully deliver the strategy and storytelling required to not only break into the LA food scene, but become a neighborhood favorite.
The Work
A modern all day cafe with old town values. Warm familiarity, total originality. We knew this potential dichotomy was the key to delighting guests and differentiating from competition.
Culver&Main tells a visual and social story that’s part reinvention of Main Street USA, part resurrection of LA’s indie roots. It recollects the legendary lo-fi places and spaces we still crave today – the record store, dive bar, gallery, and clubhouse – with a current, original edge.
Culver&Main is a brand with feet in both camps – modern appeal and nostalgic comfort. The logo itself looks backward and forward at the same time, creating a sense of movement and meeting in the heart of town. We wanted to ensure this energetic contrast is evident across the entire customer journey.
As brand stewards, we also aligned Culver&Main’s project team around this holistic strategy and narrative. This unified approach saved time, money, and effort during an intense development schedule, keeping everyone – Victor most of all – on track and focused on the finish line. Ultimately, we enabled a shared understanding of the brand that is felt in every detail by guests and staff alike, from interior design and menu to marketing and company culture.
Quirky and hardworking, inclusive and cozy, Culver&Main is a bold, buoyant embodiment of its mission, vision, and values – rooted in sound strategy and experiential storytelling.
The Results
Guest reviews are glowing, calling it “EXACTLY what Culver was missing.”
In a walking city jam-packed with restaurants and bars, Culver&Main is like nothing else in town. It avoids the tropes of every other LA restaurant in 2025 without skewing too retro. Elegant yet effortless, it strikes just the right vibe no matter what time of day.
With off-the-charts feedback for their unique design, outstanding service, and all-are-welcome menu and ambiance, Culver&Main has already secured its place in LA. It’s a spot where guests want to hang out, say hey to neighbors, and come back tomorrow.
Culver&Main is precisely what Victor envisioned: a true third space that nourishes its neighbors by bringing people together to share the rituals and rhythms of daily life.
“We could go on and on about everything here including the service, decor, vibe, music...please do yourself a favor and try this place. You will be back...we sure will!”
— Diana D., 5-Star Yelp Review
“Well done, Culver&Main, you have opened a beautiful, welcoming, modern diner.”
— Garrett B., 5-Star Yelp Review
Let’s get to work.
But first, lunch.
We believe the best decisions are made over a meal. Meet us at your favorite place & let’s discuss how to fast-track your success.