We have a new office! And a new brand to match.

After nearly 25 years in business and seven moves to office spaces throughout the city, we’ve finally found a home that fits just right.

Led by Turnpost owners Jeff Reiner and Stuart Lundgren, we opened the doors to our new office, located at 412 N. 85th Street, in September of last year. The purchase of the building – a window-lined, single-story midcentury modern at the confluence of Dodge and Cass Streets – was inspired by a desire to stake a claim in the center of the community the agency holds dear.

“It was time to own something,” said Stu. “Our community involvement is a central part of our story. It was time to invest in a home in the community; something that allows us to live out our commitment to improving it and making it even better.”

While the move is recent, this particular building caught the attention of Jeff and Stu 25 years ago, when they were just starting out in the advertising industry. They liked the charm, the midcentury feel, the natural light and the energy that surrounds it. Over the last year, they’ve worked to renovate and personalize the space for their employees and clients.

“We’ve kept it very open and adaptable. It’s a blank canvas that will evolve over the next couple of years,” said Jeff. “For our clients, it offers a central location, multiple conference rooms for collaboration and an inspiring atmosphere. We’ve included our employees on all of the design decisions. Everyone has a voice.”

Since the move, Turnpost employees have also lent their voices to other significant changes for the agency. The first is the development of an updated brand that better reflects our story and personality. Through introspection and a lot of brainstorming, the team came up with the tagline “Brand Crafted” to summarize who we are, how we work, and what we offer clients.

And, most recently, we completely redesigned and reconfigured Turnpost.com in order to better reflect our personality, culture and mission, while more effectively sharing examples of the work we’ve produced and the success it has brought our clients.

“Great brands don’t start here. They come here in the form of the good products and services our clients offer. They just need the opportunity to be presented the right way and shared with the world,” said Stu. “We match our clients’ belief and enthusiasm with measure and creativity, and together we craft something special for everyone.”

He’s noticed the distinct parallels that exist between Turnpost’s new brand message – one that centers on the notion of brand development as craft – and the process of making a new building home.

“Any group tasked with building something highly crafted, together, has to learn and relearn how to communicate, cooperate and keep things moving forward,” he said. “It’s fun. It’s bumpy. It’s loud. There’s more laughter than yelling, and that’s the way we like it.”

Going forward, Jeff and Stu envision a long, productive life in a building that facilitates closer collaboration, social visits from clients, and the smart, carefully crafted creative output the agency is known for.

“I hope this space inspires our team in new ways and offers the type of environment conducive to pushing our craft even further,” said Jeff. “It really reflects who we are and where we want to be, and we’re happy to call it home.”

About our move, our new brand and
more: An interview with Jeff and Stu

How does the recent move factor into the Brand Crafted message and your identity as an agency?

JEFF: I’m drawn to the craftsmanship of older buildings, and I’m excited to thoughtfully transform this space into a true home that will fit Turnpost. We’re all moved in and working, but we don’t have any firm deadlines on crafting our environment – it’s kind of refreshing. We’re still debating our conference room door, and I’m leaning toward something in Turnpost red. To quote the Carpenters, we’ve only just begun.

Why did you choose this particular space?

STU: We’re coming up on our 25th year in business, and in that time we’ve developed an idealized vision of where our space should be and what it should look like. We’ve had some really cool spaces over the years, but the reality is, our environment has always been defined by the awesome people we’re surrounded by. The building just plays a supporting role. Realizing that made finding our next home really easy.

JEFF: Stu and I have had our eye on this building for 25 years – starting back when we did some design work for Montage, a men’s clothing store that was here. We’ve always loved the midcentury style and all of the windows. It offers great light and positive vibes.

What makes this space different than the buildings/offices you’ve previously occupied?

JEFF: It actually reminds me a little bit of all of them. We may be trying some different floor plans. We’ve kept it very open and adaptable.

STU: Windows. Traffic. Life. Energy. There’s a lot happening at 85th and Dodge.

What has the move meant for Turnpost, from a creative standpoint?

STU: People in our industry always want to present an environment defined by fun, creative energy – beers at 3 p.m., a studio dog, guitars and skateboards. Sure, we have that, but the reality is, people in this business work really hard. Great creative is not the residual effect of a cool space and hip people. It’s the result of hard work, diligence, collaboration, thick skin and a competitive spirit.

How does the new Turnpost website fit in with your other recent changes?

JEFF: You could say that our website is the digital extension of our new space, and it will evolve as well. With the move, our goal was to find a physical home that fits comfortably and effectively represents who we are and what we have to offer our clients. The redesigned Turnpost.com essentially accomplishes the same thing: it looks like us, it feels like us, and it clearly conveys to clients, prospects and potential employees the value we place on high-quality, results-driven work.