Meeting Jessica Hische
Photograph by Kari Orvik
A large glass window shows off a nicely organized display of books, tools, mugs, and stationery. Her shop logo is painted in white script, and is centered on the glass, giving it a clean but inviting feel. Above the storefront, a squiggly pencil graphic stretches across the black awning—a sign that you’re stepping into a creative’s space. That space belongs to lettering artist, illustrator, author, and type designer Jessica Hische—who I recently had the chance to meet.
Storefront of Jessica Hische & Friends featuring art, books, and design goods.
I’ve been a fan of Hische since my college days, when I first came across her lettering designs in one of my typography classes at Fresno State. She’s best known for her lettering work, illustrations, and logotypes. Her client list includes Starbucks, The New York Times, The United Postal Service, and Wes Anderson, and she’s the author of several children’s books. Her style combines elegance with playfulness, achieving a balance that is both sophisticated and approachable. Her personal logotype is a perfect example of that.
Jessica Hische’s hand-lettered logotype, set in her signature pink script.
As a logo designer, I’m especially drawn to her logotype work. She has a real talent for refining logos for established brands—enhancing their legibility and character through subtle, thoughtful updates. If you’re curious about her process, I highly recommend her Logotype Masterclass on Skillshare, where she walks through how she updated the Jeni’s Ice Cream logotype.
In addition to her client work, she also designs and sells prints, fonts, and various products at her Oakland shop, Jessica Hische & Friends—which is where I had the chance to meet her. I knew Jessica had recently opened her shop, and since I’ve been living in San Francisco for a few months, it was an easy drive over. I was a little hesitant about heading to Downtown Oakland, given its reputation. But if there was ever a good reason to go, meeting Jessica felt like the perfect one.
When I arrived, she greeted me with a smile and a friendly hello from behind the point-of-sale desk. She gave me a quick tour of the space, pointing out the merch wall filled with prints, her published books, designer tools, and apparel. I asked her about the shop—how it all came together and what it’s been like running a storefront in Oakland. I thought it was really cool how much love she seemed to have for her city—and how she chose to open her shop in Oakland at a time when so many businesses are leaving the city. I couldn’t help but admire not just her talent, but her optimism too.
With Jessica Hische at her Oakland shop, Jessica Hische & Friends. I picked up a signed copy of In Progress, a print for my office, and a onesie for my daughter.
Her shop felt less like a store and more like a studio, with its carefully curated shelves full of tools, books, and design goods. What’s cool about the space is that it’s not just a retail shop—it also houses a print workshop behind the glass wall, and her personal studio sits just above it. The print shop features a 1,200-pound 1940s Vandercook 4-cylinder press, which you can just barely see in the photo of me and Jessica. If you want a more in-depth look at her space, check out her Skillshare tour video linked here.
Display of premium stationery and tools, including pens, scissors, knives, and rulers that you can find at Jessica’s retail store.
Before leaving, I picked up a copy of her book In Progress—a behind-the-scenes look at her hand-lettering process, showing how she develops her work from rough pencil sketches to polished digital art. She signed it for me with a nice drop cap on my name. I also bought a signed 24x36 print featuring two-color letterpress and gold foil stamping, with the quote: “The work you do while you procrastinate is probably the work you should be doing for the rest of your life”. It’s a piece of advice Hische often shares with young designers—and one that really resonates with me.
