Local Works is an initiative created by The Working Assembly to help small, emerging and not for profit businesses thrive in NYC.
Let’s Celebrate
Brands Locals Love
Every community has small businesses and organizations that make a big impact. Corner stores and nonprofits where local communities flourish by offering spaces to congregate, food to share, or new goods to try. Our goal is to celebrate these businesses and support their brands so they can continue to thrive now and into the future.
What We Do
Every quarter, we pair The Working Assembly’s creative expertise with one unique local business or non-profit organization. As part of the services, you’ll receive visual brand support for your business and organization to thrive for years to come.
i.e. social media posts, website design, etc.
Who Should Apply
We’re looking for businesses and organizations that operate on a small scale but create an outsized impact. If you feel you fit this description, we encourage you to apply!
Let us know how we can help your business.
Apply now
Never in our wildest company dreams did we imagine the privilege of working with such an extraordinary team like TWA. As new entrepreneurs grappling with the 'we can play every role' syndrome, we initially lacked the vision for our product and its presentation to the world. TWA's team of creatives guided us through a meticulous process, offering fresh perspectives that resulted in a remarkable rebrand of our shop, labels, freezers, and social media presence. Collaborating with TWA on our rebrand was not only fascinating and fun but also proved to be one of the most impactful decisions our business has ever made.
Local Brands
Think!Chinatown, located in Manhattan’s Chinatown, fosters community cohesion through engagement, storytelling, and the arts. The organization empowers immigrant communities to overcome barriers and shape their neighborhood. The Chinatown Night Market, a vibrant summer series celebrating local art and food vendors, provides a safe space for community celebration. As part of the Local Works initiative, we partnered with Think!Chinatown to create a new visual identity system for the night market, including custom merchandise, signage, and website design. This creative effort aimed to drive traffic and raise awareness for Chinatown businesses, particularly crucial in the post-COVID xenophobic climate, increasing foot traffic and visibility.
We teamed up with the Public Squash team and the NYC Parks Department to craft a compelling visual identity and establish their brand. Dedicated to making squash accessible beyond exclusive clubs, Public Squash successfully launched New York City's first public squash court in April 2018. Their ongoing initiative transforms underutilized handball courts in parks into vibrant squash facilities. To mark this milestone, our logo was used by OnlyNY to create a custom line of outdoor apparel and accessories that promoted the new brand and continued to help raise money.
Since 2016, Savannah Square Pops has been delighting Savannah, Georgia, with handcrafted, gourmet ice pops made from whole fruits and top-quality ingredients. We teamed up with Savannah Square Pops to craft a vibrant new visual identity and packaging, featuring bold colors, whimsical custom illustrations of the owners, and playful graphics that capture the joy of enjoying an ice pop.
Wright & Goebel specializes in handcrafted wines and artisan spirits that are organic, biodynamic, and natural. In 2018, we partnered with them through Local Works to support their store launch. Our deliverables included logo design, signage, retail design support, and a website reskin.
Public School 9, a New York City elementary school committed to an inclusive learning environment, partnered with us to create a cohesive new visual identity and website. Highlighting the importance of a growth mindset for lifelong success, we developed a design system featuring a vibrant color palette, lively illustrations celebrating the school's heritage, and clean, bold typography to create a welcoming and engaging atmosphere.
The team at TWA created a brand identity, centered around a clever scientific theme, that perfectly captured the playful, educational roots of the brand. Importantly, the brand has a distinct look and feel that highlights taste above all else and stands out in a crowded snacking category. The new packaging has played a key role in elevating the brand's retail presence, allowing Stuffy Puffs to meaningfully increase its distribution in 2024. Lastly, not only did TWA create a well-suited brand identity - they went above and beyond and provided complementary assets (Stuffy characters) that extend extremely well to digital marketing campaigns, especially social media. The brand foundation has been set and the Stuffy team couldn't be more grateful.
Become a Local Works Project
Fill out the application below.