In the collection of vintage and historic images available online from the Library of Congress is one of the exterior of the Town Talk Diner in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Regrettably, on May 28, 2020, the Town Talk Diner was damaged by vandalism, and subsequently destroyed by a fire that engulfed the building early on the morning of May 29th due to civil unrest following the death of George Floyd. The restaurant first opened in 1946, closed in 2011 and subsequently re-opened under new ownership in 2014 with French cuisine, then from 2016 until its demise as an American bistro. While this was not known at the time of selecting the image for a typographic model, subsequent research on the diner turned up these facts. The large vintage sign above the entrance was in big, bold Art Deco letters with rows and rows of bulbs for illuminating the name at night. Coffee and Danish JNL, modeled from the image of that sign, is available in both regular and oblique versions. Perhaps, in a way, the type design will serve as a bit of historic recognition for a popular eating spot.

The Hamilton Wood Type & Printing Museum staff is honored to partner with New York-based graphic designer Louise Fili on her first font release project. The new font, “Mardell,” is named for Hamilton retiree and wood type cutter Mardell Doubek. This is the fourth font to be cut for the museum as part of the Wood Type Legacy Project. "The bold, lively angularity of Italian futurist letterforms made it a natural choice for wood type.” says Fili. This digital version presents Fili’s wood type design for use in web and print applications.

Big Jim Roberts was my dad. A dedicated family man who taught us about faith, values and love is missed by our family. Jim just about did it all. He was a military man, a police officer, a power company engineer and a photographer. This typeface (which is comprised of a bold lower-case alphabet) has a 70s retro feel. Jim might have like it. The net profits from my font sales help defer medical expenses for my siblings, who both suffer with Cystic Fibrosis and diabetes. Thank you.

A "thick and thin" line weight treatment is given to Jeff Levine's Hash and Beans JNL, providing a whole new take on the design - first inspired by a sign in an old photograph of a diner. Favorite Hangout JNL conjures up memories of summer nights, drive-ins, your best guy or gal and sharing some tasty burgers and fries.