Scaling New Heights

As Active Endeavors owner Matt Ostrom prepared to move his expanding business into a stunning new building designed to express his passion for the outdoors, he wanted to make sure people would notice.

Occupying a unique wooded lot in a Davenport, Iowa, retail location, the new store features natural wood and open interiors flooded with natural light — in effect bringing the outdoors in. Associate Tom Hepner of Gere/Dismer Architects, the firm that designed the building, says the goal was to create a place where people would say, “‘Wow, I want to spend time and money here’ — something that captured the whole culture of Active Endeavors.”

Knowing that a strong identity would be critical to the new store’s recognition and success, Hepner recommended that Ostrom consult with FUEL. “The existing logo was tired and needed to be brought screaming into the 21st century,” he says.

When he met with the FUEL team, Ostrom says, he was awed by the level of attention they paid to his business. “They came with a whole team and they just listened. All my life I’ve worked hard, and I almost couldn’t believe how much they cared.”

After presenting several concepts, FUEL created a logo that is at once dramatic and simple. “They needed something more timeless,” says FUEL designer Matt Kempel. “We created a look that is iconic, clean and refined.”

Ostrom says the logo has worked beautifully. “It’s an attention grabber, and I love the ability to do different things with it. I love the colors, with a vibrant green replacing the traditional hunter green. Our new mark is becoming recognized in our market as we continue to sponsor different events. Our name is so long that it can pose a challenge for us. Sometimes we use the logo without the name to create buzz.”

Having FUEL’s input on an ongoing basis has been a tremendous help, he says. “They created guidelines and instructions for using the logo that save a whole lot of time for people on this end. I can go back to them at any time with questions and they’re very helpful. I would recommend this to anyone. I don’t know how I would have accomplished all the things I needed to do without FUEL.”

Hepner adds that the new look has been embraced by the community and is truly building a profile for the striking new edifice. “You want to be able to fly by the store and say, ‘Hey, that’s Active Endeavors,’ and that’s happening.”

Visit the Active Endeavors store online at www.activeendeavors.com.

Bill Bollman
Creative Director

Bill Bollman is FUEL’s Creative Director. Before co-founding FUEL in 2001, he worked for Horizon Communications, JW Morton and Basler Design Group. Bill studied Illustration at Hawkeye Tech in Waterloo, Iowa. An expert in the “old ways” of hands-on print production, these skills influence his work in the digital world to this day. His work throughout his career has been featured in international publications including Graphis, How International Design, Communication Arts, and The One Book as well as numerous design annuals and reference books.

Hometown: West Union, Iowa
Involved in Design and Marketing since 1988
Interests: Fitness, Travel, Movies