By Courtney Saba
Magnetic menu boards are an attractive option for restaurants and shops. Lightweight, cost effectiveness, and convenience are some of the benefits. With the ease of updating fully or quick-change magnetic strips, businesses are utilizing beneficial magnetic menu boards in their stores.
Gregorys Coffee
Gregorys Coffee has become somewhat of a staple in New York, NY. After the first store opened in 2006, it took the city by storm with 14 locations opened within nine years, and is still growing. With such a large following and rapid expansion, the menu is constantly rotating. Whether it is a small price change or a new coffee, the menu needs to be accurately updated at all times.
Kristin Zamfotis, director of marketing, Gregorys Coffee, searched for a new, hassle-free way to change three menu boards for every coffee shop. “We are constantly changing out the menu. It was such a hassle and expensive to keep ordering new menu boards, printing them, shipping them to the shops, and then having to install a heavy product,” says Zamfotis.
When she found Visual Magnetics LP’s VM-CHALKboardPLUS it made sense to convert all of the menus and signage in every location. VM-CHALKboardPLUS is part of the Visual Magnetics Graphic System. The solution uses a commercial grade magnetic-receptive Micro-Iron based primer called ActiveWall, a patented flexible magnet backer called InvisiLock, and a magnetic-receptive line of print media called MagnaMedia. VM-CHALKboardPLUS falls under the MagnaMedia line. A 15-mil printable black chalkboard film, it is thin, flexible and designed to be used with liquid chalk, but also printable on both digital and analog technologies.
Due to the ease of use with VM-CHALKboardPLUS, the team decided to incorporate layers into their signage. When prices change, small magnetic pieces printed with product names are shipped to the stores. Employees can remove one layer to install the next. The layers are helpful when it comes to the coffee selections that change every three months. “The area where we listed our single origin coffee selections used to be handwritten because they changed every three months. We did that for about five years,” says Zamfotis.
A unique aspect of Gregorys Coffee is the hand-drawn chalk feel of the signage. The team was especially happy to not have to give up the definitive look of the business as prints can convey a similar feeling. There is also still the ability to handwrite with liquid chalk on the media. Digitally printing the menus allows for leeway in design to create precisely what Gregorys Coffee stands for.
Now with 14 locations, Gregorys Coffee mastered the installation of VM-CHALKboardPLUS. Currently Zamfotis outsources printing to Visual Magnetics. Although she would love to be able to create everything in house, the coffee shop does not have the required equipment. “I am interested in learning more about printing in house in the near future,” admits Zamfotis.
The supplier is convenient for Gregorys Coffee, having all the material in stock so Zamfotis does not have to buy large amounts all at once. Visual Magnetics prints the coffee shop’s signage with a Mimaki USA, Inc. UJV-160 hybrid UV LED printer. It is used because of its white ink option, allowing for printing onto the black VM-CHALKboardPLUS.
In addition to VM-CHALKboardPLUS, Gregorys Coffee utilizes other Visual Magnetics’ products—such as materials to label shelved merchandise and framed promotional posters. Labels on shelves holding packaged coffee, t-shirts, and mugs are easily changed and posters are effortlessly switched on a regular basis.
Growing Success
Gregorys Coffee is continuously growing throughout New York City. Its magnetic menu boards are paving the road to success. Magnetic menus are light, provide an attractive presentation, and are easily manageable for multiple locations. The hassle-free installation, cost effectiveness, and over all eye-appealing design are beneficial for this growing business.
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Dec2015, Digital Output DOMAG1512
