The "jojo" is located at Metzgergasse 4, in the middle of the winding old town of Aarau. You immediately feel at home in this bar, which has been around since 2007, when you enter the tube-like room. Old vinyl records hang on the dark wallpapered walls. Guests sink into the seating niches with their drinks, which create a cozy atmosphere with their upholstered walls. With its fantastic outdoor garden and DJs, the "jojo" is a mixture of bar and club.
"Bar and graphics found each other"
The bar menu is also on the tables. It immediately catches the eye. You can unfold it like a fan. The texts are printed on matt PVC material. It looks like chalk writing on a blackboard. The individual pages are held together with a book screw. "We wanted a material that could take a beating and still look cool," says Céline Wassmer. The bartender has a bachelor's degree in graphic design. Because a new menu was to be designed with a better overview of the drinks, she took on the task. "I was able to combine the bar and graphic design, two things that are close to my heart," says the 26-year-old.
Bar menu like a comic
The names of the individual drinks are listed on the front of the bar menu card. Things get really exciting on the back: there are several themed chapters in illustrated form. The first part shows bar utensils: These include things like bar spoons, measuring cups, fines trainers and zest zappers. "We want to show the production process of the individual spirits," says Céline Wassmer, explaining the special feature of this bar menu card. In another section, she has graphically illustrated how gin, vodka and whisky, for example, are produced. In the case of gin, for example, there are drawings of juniper, grain and botanicals. Processes such as maceration, distillation and bottling in glass are also beautifully illustrated. The bar menu card also contains illustrations showing the bar. The seating niches, for example, are captured with fine lines. Drawn ice cubes can be seen on the "Ice Ice Baby" page. It also describes the function of ice cubes in drinks.
The "Hot hot hot" page gets to the bottom of the secret of the in-house shot. Under "Soft drinks", guests can find drinks such as cranberry juice or Sanbitter. The bar's own creations are also among the most popular drinks. For example, the "Dizzy Grape", the "Ginger Fizz" or the "44 Shades of Christoph" (see below). For the format of this menu, which was completed in May 2023, the jojo team was inspired by the bar menu of the Berlin bar "Ferry's", which Peter Locher wanted to take over around 20 years ago. "Apparently he liked the bar so much that he took the menu with him as a souvenir," says Céline.
Card as a collector's item
For Céline Wassmer, a bar card is a business card. A brand that also says something about the spirit of the bar. The card is now also available online. Scan the QR code with your cell phone and explore the offer. There has been a lot of great feedback on the card. It is even already in demand as a collector's item. "Quite a few bar cards have already been taken," says Céline. "This is annoying on the one hand, but also a compliment on the other."
"yo-yo effect"
According to Céline Wassmer, the jojo bar team was delighted to receive the "Best Bar Menu" award at this year's Swiss Bar Awards: "I think it's cool that a small bar from Aarau can win against big names in this category." jojo: The name lives up to its promise. Céline Wassmer says: "Once they've been here, many guests like to come back."
"I think it's cool that a small bar from Aarau can also prevail against big names in this category."
Céline Wassmer, jojo Bar Aarau
