The founders of Ben & Jerry’s opened their first retail location in Burlington, VT, in 1978. The company recently launched a new store design to better reflect its founding values.

Ben & Jerry’s sought the help of branding firm Tesser to help with the redesign of the companys flagship location. "We wanted the store to reflect Ben & Jerry’s distinct brand," said Tre Musco, CEO and chief creative officer.

Ben & Jerry’s sought the help of branding firm Tesser to help with the redesign of the companys flagship location. "We wanted the store to reflect Ben & Jerry’s distinct brand," said Tre Musco, CEO and chief creative officer.

Tesser was given the task of blending Ben & Jerry’s voice and packaged ice cream personality with the new store design. The ultimate goal was to turn the stores into an "adult" cafe destination rather than a quick-stop.

To reinforce Ben & Jerry’s pint ice cream, Tesser created a "flavor curtain," using actual pint lids as a design element. The lids mimic the free-spirited chic appeal reminiscent of the beaded curtains that were popular in the 1970s&#4

The menu board also is designed to reflect the many varieties of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. Many of the materials and installations in the redesigned location were created by local Vermont vendors.

In addition to dozens of funky light fixtures and round cafe tables, the new store features an installed front of a Volkswagon bus, designed to pay homage to the hippie days. The bus’ windows are high-definition video screens built into the wall