It was mid morning in Nashville’s Pinewood Social when Bill and I were enjoying an americano from Crema, when one of our usual ‘coffee chats’ ensued. That day we were discussing the details and tactile nature of so many unique elements in Nashville, the ‘feel’ of things that made our experiences there resonate deeply with us. In front of us there was a shining example of this notion: a menu.
The Pinewood Social menu was enticing to pick up and hold in our hands. It’s sturdy backing and carefully crafted sheets fulfilled both form and function. The purpose of the menu, to transmit information – what they offer, the descriptions and the prices – was not what made this stand out to us. It was the care, the craft and the execution of something simple and elegant. It invited us to stop, slow down, and experience their world in a more meaningful way.
Many of our discussions then and now always led to the same question: how do we integrate this experience into our life? This particular subject of the menu had us focusing on one part of our life: our CrossFit gym.
What value would we be adding if we created this menu? What would it look like, feel like, what would it evoke? The Menu was not just about an Instagram post so athletes could see what was in store for the week. It was about bringing that positive and tactile experience to our members. It was an invitation to pause, and experience more. It was about the details – selecting the backing of the menu, the paper, the font, the layout as well as where it would be placed in the gym and how people would physically interact with it. It was an opportunity for us to connect and have a voice with members through the descriptions we included for each workout.
As leaders of CF Morristown, our mission is to provide an environment that encompasses physical, mental, emotional and communal responses. Bill and I continue to do this by bringing notable details from our travels beyond the gym to curate a unique experience for our members.
