In 2017, the South Loop welcomed Chicago’s sixth largest hotel in the Marriott Marquis. This Marriott is located near McCormick Place, the largest convention center in North America, and boasts among other amenities a full-service, 400-seat restaurant: Woven + Bound. The Marriott Marquis Chicago contacted Pochis Bank Art Studio to add hand-lettered specials and illustrations to the massive mounted chalkboards in their dining room, as well as a smaller chalkboard for their breakfast buffet area.

Woven + Bound was named for the hotel’s neighbor, the American Book Company Building, and weaves local elements into “refreshingly unique dishes.” Because their brand pays homage to the history of the ABC building, studio artists collaborated with the restaurant to produce sketches that reflect this connection. An illustrated bookshelf adorns the bottom of the food specials chalkboard while wine glasses and bottles sit atop several horizontal books on the drink specials board. Due to the height of these boards, studio artists had to execute nearly all of the work on ladders. 

Additionally, the restaurant wanted a sign with Woven + Bound’s new logo, designed by studio artist Shayne Taylor, that directed guests for the breakfast buffet. For this board, studio artists added another bookshelf below the logo as well as hand-lettering that indicated they should ask their server for omelette, pancake and waffle orders. All three of these boards were executed using chalk markers, giving the work a clean, bold and elegant look as well as protecting them from smudging.