Milchgaststätte im Gruga-Park ad
Grugapark is a central park in the city of Essen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It got its name from the first Große Ruhrländische Gartenbau-Ausstellung (“Great Ruhr Horticultural Exhibition”) that took place in 1929. The Milchgaststätte (“milk restaurant”) was also built for this event, after designs by architect and Werkbund member Paul Portten. After being destroyed in World War II, the park was reconstructed and hosted the second Gruga in 1952.
This advert mentioning “milk and milkshakes, coffee – cake – sandwiches” and praising the restaurant as “modern – cozy – sunny” must have been printed sometime after 1955: the calligraphic roman is Folkwang. Designed by Hermann Schardt, who was the director of the local Folkwang Werkkunstschule from 1946 to 1971, it was first cast by the Klingspor foundry in that year. With its single-story a and g, Folkwang resembles an upright italic. It here is used with ligatures for ff and ch – the latter appearing three times, but for some reason not in “Kuchen”.
Folkwang is paired with Gabriele, a pen script by Hans Möhring, first cast by Woellmer in 1938 and later continued by Weber. The flowing “Milch” script is lettering – see Butti’s Fluidum or Laura Meseguer’s Magasin for typefaces with a similar feel.
In 1989, the Milchgaststätte was converted into a playhouse for children. It was recently reopened after renovation works.
