jellyman
Los Angeles, CA
Photography: Here and Now Agency
The intimate shop, designed by Bestor Architecture, creates a “third space” living room for the city, intended as an immersive and compelling indoor/outdoor for patrons to rest and enjoy the tea experience. The design has an intentionally retro-future, otherworldly affect. Embracing the history of the 1920’s building it occupies, the outdoor seating area features train station seating, portholes and a character designed by McFetridge that is peeking out from a floating boat above. This waiting room is also a portal to the interior space, which has a diachronic music playlist by Göransson and Glover, a full size Jellyman character (also by McFetridge) and a custom super-graphic tile pattern that is illuminated in multiple shifting colors. The story of Jellyman (written by Donald Glover and illustrated by Geoff McFetridge) is interwoven throughout Bestor’s design of the space. A duality of old and new, reality and fantasy encourages the feeling of being a character passing through the portal into the whimsical space of the Jellyman.
Bestor’s design emphasizes hand hewn craft with custom woodwork, distinctive tile, saturated colors, novel amber tinted mirror, and a completely unique calibrated chromatic lighting design that is synched to the sunset and seasonal diurnal cycle. During the day the lighting leans cool and moves toward warm as night comes. The Boba itself is a connoisseur product, with locally sourced ingredients and unique flavors emphasizing California fruit, health and pleasure.
Artistic collaborations are found throughout the shop. The giant Jellyman statue, graphics, storybook, and branding are by graphic artist Geoff McFetridge and staffers are suited in uniforms by next-door neighbor Kevin Carney of Mohawk General Store. An original score by the Academy Award-winning composer Ludwig Göransson surrounds visitors.
Opening a boba shop has been a longstanding dream of Glover’s; he believes that Jellyman could be an ideal third space for patrons outside of home or work and an alternative to a bar. Jesse Fresnedi, formerly of Boba Guys, is Jellyman’s chief culinary officer. The menu leans into fantasy and imagination, drawing on her 10 years of boba-crafting experience and flavors she encountered growing up in the Philippines, Singapore, and England.
