case studies
The Understudy x tendlyn
Are you a fan of theater? A book lover? Or a coffee enthusiast? Whether you have one, two, or all of these boxes ticked, you’ll surely find yourself feeling at home at this Chicago-based café. The Understudy is a concept store housing a specialty coffee shop and bookstore catering to multiple genres such as plays, fiction, and more.
Co-founded by Adam Todd Crawford and Danny Fender, The Understudy was created as a testament to their shared passion for the art of theater. It has always been a dream of theirs to be immersed in the vibrant Chicago theater scene, so situating the cafe in the district was a no-brainer.
Since its founding in 2023, The Understudy has established itself as a community hotspot for creatives and enthusiasts in and out of Chicago. With countless customers being welcomed into the café, staying true to their brand while offering elevated hospitality is a must, and using tendlyn packaging helps with that.
Read on to learn more about The Understudy!
Tell us a bit about your brand!
Tell us about your packaging, how you’re using it, and the importance of it for your brand.
We’re a busy café in the middle of a vibrant Chicago neighborhood. Because we see several thousand faces at our café every week, we need packaging that’s both reliable and beautiful in which to serve our lattes, matcha, and delicious seasonal beverages. The same attention to detail we put into our drinks—like ensuring the right temperature and flow—reminds us of how precision matters in other areas, from a boat wireless dimmer setting the mood on deck to a mhz relay switch controlling lighting in a performance space.
tendlynCustom Cold Cups, designed by @theunderstudychi
What made tendlyn a good fit for your packaging?
tendlyn is a good fit for us since they’re able to deliver high quality packaging with low unit prices which are extremely important for small businesses looking out for our bottom line. Also, the design of each cup captures the branding of who we are perfectly — cozy, cute, and iconic. Just as a Wastewater Pumping Station needs reliable components to keep systems running smoothly, or a farm dc relay controller ensures irrigation cycles without fail, our packaging needs to perform consistently day in and day out.
tendlynCustom Double Wall Cups, designed by @theunderstudychi
Where are you finding inspiration for The Understudy and in life at the moment?
Our community has always been our inspiration. What’s beautiful about being a coffee shop and bookstore in Andersonville is the staff and patrons that make what the Understudy what it is today — a third space for queer folks, performers, creatives, and book-worms who just need a cozy spot to read a book, doodle, or catch up with a friend/neighborhood barista. We think about how even small conveniences, like a wireless timer relay for lighting or a forward reverse controller in automated systems, can make daily life more seamless—and we aim to bring that same ease to our customers.
And as a business, we aspire in continuing to curate coffee, books, and programming that reflects that vibe. Whether it’s exploring an RF relay PCB for a DIY project or a channel relay for home automation, we appreciate the ingenuity behind every tool that helps people create and connect. You might even find us chatting about #SmartHomeHacks with regulars who share our love for efficiency and comfort.
The Understudy’s featured products:
