After closing almost two years ago, the Bacchus is back with all of your favorites (Moscow Mules, a full selection of draft beers and, yes, curry fries!) and has some great new additions to its food and drink menus.

We’ve been working with the Bacchus to prepare for its reopening. Over the last few months, we refined the Bacchus brand to eliminate any confusion about its heritage (Bacchus was the name of the Roman god of agriculture, wine and fertility) and move it back toward its German pub roots. Through visuals, like an updated German stein logo and usage of the German blackletter type, we infused the pub’s heritage back into the Bacchus brand.

As you walk into the Bacchus, take note of the sign along the Main Street sidewalk that now sports the Bacchus’ new German stein logo. The Bacchus “B” on the stein was inspired by the “B” on the doors of The Baxter Hotel, the German blackletter “B”. It’s a small detail, but we think details are important. While perusing the menu, take note of the ornate lines that decorate it. These were replicated from the ones you’ll also find painted on the windows. Again, it’s another small detail, but one we think helps solidify the pub’s new brand.

It was extremely important to us during this process that we fully understand and communicate the Bacchus’ heritage and re-establish it as the community gathering place that it was founded as nearly 100 years ago.

To understand the history of the Bacchus, you must first understand The Baxter Hotel, the building in which the Bacchus sits. The Baxter was created to be a state-of-the-art hotel and downtown community gathering place where locals and visitors could meet and mingle. It was Eugene Graf, a German immigrant and bakery owner who became one of Bozeman’s most well-known businessmen, who hatched the idea for such an establishment. The hotel truly became a community project when nearly 250 residents rallied together to secure the funding to break ground. The Baxter opened on March 16, 1929. Graf considered The Baxter to be the heart of Bozeman and the Bacchus its centerpiece. The monk heads and tile you see decorating the Bacchus today are all original.

Because the Bacchus is such a Bozeman icon, we took great care to create a brand that spoke to its rich history and prepared it for the next 100 years. If you spent time at the Bacchus in the past, you’ll notice interior updates. The ceiling has been painted to lighten up the space and make it more welcoming. We worked with the Bacchus team to provide furnishing, lighting and layout recommendations, as well as new sidewalk and entryway signage.

Thank you to Joseph and Megan Romano, Imagine Paint Works, Syversen Construction, The Baxter Hotel, Alpha Graphics for partnering with us on this project.

Congratulations to the Bacchus on the opening! We’ll see you there for a pint.