Crate: Building community through storytelling
From containers to community
Crate was the first container development of its kind in Essex, bringing together 90 independent businesses across 34 shipping containers.
The idea was bold. Create a place where local entrepreneurs could grow, collaborate and bring something different to the area. But with so many different businesses under one roof, Crate needed more than visibility. It needed a shared voice.
The challenge was to drive footfall, raise awareness beyond the local area, and help the businesses inside Crate feel part of something bigger.
Giving every business a story to tell
We developed Crate Paper a quarterly newspaper designed to celebrate the stories, people, and creativity within the development.
From concept and design through to production and distribution, we created a publication that felt as distinctive as Crate itself. Combining lifestyle features, event highlights, and business spotlights, Crate Paper captured the character of the community and gave every entrepreneur a platform to share their story.
Distributed across the region and throughout London’s Tube network, it positioned Crate as a must-visit destination and connected its businesses with a much wider audience.
Taking Crate beyond Loughton
Crate Paper became both a marketing tool and a community anchor.
It helped build pride among tenants, strengthened the identity of the development and supported wider recognition for the businesses inside. Products from Crate businesses went on to be featured by names including Liberty of London and John Lewis.
What started as 34 containers became a thriving destination with its own voice, its own following and a strong community of independent businesses behind it.
