Kardomah Café Market Street Manchester

Designed by Russian-born Misha Black and Greman emegre  Frita Lauder in 1939, an elegantly simple shop-front was provided using lettering combined with blue neon lighting and teak . Black was consultant architect to the Kardomah chain of cafes from 1936 to 1950 and designed others in similar style including those in Piccadilly, London, Cardiff and Birmingham. The Manchester branch was built while Black was a member of the Industrial Design Partnership, founded in 1933. This was possibly the first partnership to include a wide variety of differing design skills. Among its members was the industrial designer Milner Gray who contributed decorations to the Manchester Kardomah's interior. All were characterised by an inventive use of lettering treated as an integral part of the design.

Reference           Robert Elwall Sign of the Times RIBA Journal March 2000, page 134.
Reference           Credit Architectural Press Archive / RIBA Library Photographs Collection