Anyone driving down Dot Ave the past few months knows that the Harp and Bard (1099 Dot Ave, at the corner of Savin Hill) has undergone a new look. The place looks downright sophisticated but that is a story for another day. The new logo is what interests me this morning.
The old Harp and Bard had a carved wooden sign looming over its roof. Carved into the wood were images of a harp and of a bard, arranged somewhat haphazardly. It was rustic and, while it had it's charm, its best days, perhaps, had come and gone. It would have been out of place atop the building's new facade.
Someone got to work and designed a new logo for the venerable H&B. The new logo is a classic example of ruler-and-compass graphic design, simple yet clever. It is refreshing in a world that is awash with computer generated graphics and special effects. By manipulating the letters, the designer found a plus sign (+) lodged naturally in the combination of H and B pressed tightly together. The plus replaces the ampersand. H&B becomes H+B. It isn't as elegant as the arrow in the Federal Express logo but it is just as serendipitous.
I'll try to remember to take a picture this morning to post later this evening. If you don't go down Dot Ave, this bit of flash is a nice example of simplicity and graphic clarity. Two things for with Dorchester, Mass. is well known.
3 comments:
Not the same anymore. Food is overpriced. Not bad, but a vast change from what this place was two months ago. Maybe they had to change to survive, but I feel like there was still a niche for a place like the Harp along Dot ave where you could get a cheap bite and a cheap pint.
I also heard that while they changed their look and menu, they also let go of some staff members abruptly to bring in fresh faces. I liked the old staff and this is why I went to the Harp. I won't be in the "NEW" H+B if this is how they deal with employees.
I've been both before and after. It is just around the corner from me. I haven't noticed much change in the menu, the prices or the staff. I usually eat at the bar. The only thing I find remarkably different is the decor.
I don't think the new outside is that great but I have to admit, I like the new interior. I've just put up a photo of the facade if anyone is interested in seeing the logo without having to take the Red Line down here. Of course, it's always time well spent when you visit Dorchester no matter what your reason.
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