Vape inspiration
Recent years have seen the rise and rise of the vaping industry, with the number of vapers in the UK rising from 700,000 in 2012 to 3.6 million in 2019. 54% of these people were vaping as a way to help them quit smoking, but vaping culture has moved far beyond being a simple substitution for cigarettes.
Unsurprisingly given the numbers, there are more and more places catering to everyone from the casual to the most fanatic vaper. Modelling themselves on an Amsterdam-style coffee shop, these UK vape stores are much more than kiosks, offering customers a chance to unwind and enjoy their new juice in a social setting.
In such a young industry the opportunities are ripe for development and innovation, and with the right approach there is still room for new businesses to race ahead of the pack. Merchandise is one of the ways you can be creative with your branding and design, and underlines your business as a destination and not just a drop-in. Here are some examples of great UK vape shops building their brands.
House of Vapes
House of Vapes are one of the UK’s slickest vape chains, with nine stores across London and even more slated to open across the UK and Europe. Their contemporary feeling shops serve high quality coffee, and are open late to cater to the after-work crowd. Their branding leans towards the opulent, with gold lettering and brocade wallpaper, making the case for their superiority on the scene. Staff wear hoodies and tees emblazoned with the House of Vapes initials, and their own-brand smoking accessories feature the same design.
Smokium
Smokium’s founders are truly passionate about vaping, and their stores offer the highest quality experience to customers. Their distinctive logo was designed by calligraphic artist Andrea Riot, and stands out as the most creative of any vape shop. No wonder their graphic tees and snapbacks are firm favourites with their Smokium community.
Prohibition
Prohibition Vapes model themselves on an olde-timey speakeasy, with the attendant feeling that customers are part of an exciting secret club. Their branding encompasses a retro vibe, and their special juice blends are named for prohibition cocktails like Bathtub Gin. Prohibition also offer the widest range of merch of any vape shop we’ve come across, and their designs have the same underground feel as their edgy stores.
Vape and Juice
Vape and Juice are one of the most established vape chains in the country, and their approach is focused on a friendly approach to vapers of all levels, billing themselves as ‘the UK’s local’. They have a minimal logo in comparison to a lot of the flashy vape branding around, and the result is a brand identity that feels welcoming rather than intimidating.
London Vape Co.
The London Vape Co. are another chain with branches across the capital. Their cafes have a sleek, modern feel almost reminiscent of the Apple Genius Bar. The overall effect conveys a sense of precision engineering and expertise about their product, and their straightforward tees do the same. Their simple checkmark ‘V’ logo stamped a clean white tee gets straight to the point.
Noble Vaping
Noble Vaping have some of the nicest vaping cafes in London, living up to their name, with beautiful wooden floors, retro tables and high-quality coffee all as standard. Their Lion mascot also furthers the Noble name, projecting a regal presence from above their storefronts. This design also graces their premium cotton tees and snapbacks, perfect for their most loyal and stylish customers.
Vape Superstore
Vape Superstore was first founded in Dalston, and their stores and branding are in keeping with the hipster sensibility of their birthplace. Their interior design and merchandise combine the bright sensibility of a diner with the vintage feel of craft brewery, in a more stylish take on the usual vape cafe identity. Their tees and hoodies wouldn’t look amiss in any of east London’s trendiest boutiques.
Looking to create custom merch for your UK vape store? At ICON Printing we can deliver fast turnaround custom printed t-shirts, tote bags, hats and more, counting clients from House of Vapes to Nike, Tate and WeWork. Get a quote in 2 minutes online.