History

History 1996 - Locke Design is founded as Locke Graphics by David Locke as a home based business. Clients are procured by word of mouth and many charity organizations are served by the young firm. 1997 – Our firm designs some of our first logos for clients and begins to perfect and refine the skill of logo and corporate branding design. 1998 – Locke Graphics designs some of our first brochures and works with many charity groups including Big Brothers / Big Sisters. Word of our business begins to spread in the community. 1999 - Locke Graphics becomes Locke Design to reflect the broad scope of design services offered by the company. This enlarged scope encompasses graphic design, interior design, photography as well as event planning. Our signature “L & D” logo is designed to reflect the styles and traditions of many great design houses including Channel and Louis Vuitton. The logo is also inspired by a trip to Europe by our founder after viewing many ciphers of royalty and design houses. Our first presence on the world-wide-web debuts with lockedesign.com. 2000 - Web design is offered as a service from the company for the first time. 2001 - Locke Design expands into the Greenville, South Carolina market designing logos and brochures in the community. 2002 – Marketing of the firm begins in the Upstate South Carolina Community. Locke Design becomes a member of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID). Logos are designed for the Belton Center for the Arts, Belton Area Partnership and Belton Standpipe Festival by Locke Design. 2003 - Locke Design becomes the full-time business of our founder and true marketing of our firm begins. The firm designs the new corporate identity and logo for the Anderson Area Chamber of Commerce which is unveiled at a black-tie dinner to over 400 business people in Upstate South Carolina. The firm is fortunate to create several other high profile logos for the community. Our first employee, Rebecca Young is hired to give emphasis to client relations and later Diane Locke comes to the firm as our financial manager. Our company becomes greatly involved in chamber and other civic groups 2004 - Locke Design becomes a firm of four with the hiring of Doris Swann as a Customer Service Representative. After tremendous growth the firm moves into a new 1,000 square foot office facility to better serve our clients. Jennifer Browning is hired as the firm’s second designer. Logos and corporate identities are created for the Anderson Civic Center, William A. Floyd Amphitheater and Sports Center. The firm creates an internship program for undergraduate students studying graphic design and advertising. Locke Design joins the Greenville, South Carolina Chamber of Commerce. A series of design classes are offered to the community taught by Locke Design through Regions Bank. A parade of homes is hosted by Locke Design featuring the six homes of the Locke Design family and staff. Hospice of the Upstate is benefited by proceeds from the event. Locke Design becomes a full service ad agency offering radio ad development and media buying. 2005 - Locke Design hires Sybil Farrow as Customer Service Representative with emphasis on our Greenville, South Carolina clientele and database management. The firm chairs the largest seated black-tie event in Anderson County, SC for the Anderson Area Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Celebration. The event is Jazz themed and brings together the best in art, music and food. Planning for Anderson’s first Designer Tour of Homes is facilitated by our business as Locke Design partners with designers across the Upstate. Locke Design administrates the construction of a high-end home for the event by Atkinson Construction. The Locke Design Foundation is formed as the philanthropic arm of our firm selecting diverse charities in the region to assist through design. These include The Alzheimer’s Association, Anderson University, The March of Dimes, Hospice of the Upstate and United Way. Grants are awarded to the Beaufort County, SC and Lancaster County, SC libraries for logo and corporate identity development. Both Beaufort and Lancaster choose Locke Design to create their identities. 2006 - Locke Design experiences explosive growth after four years of full-time work! Kimberlee Cunningham is hired as our Customer Service Executive to manage our office and various accounts. In April of 2006 the Designer Show Home is opened to the public as a means to educate the community regarding applied art and design. The United Way receives proceeds from the event. A decade of business is celebrated throughout the year. The Designer Show Home event, a large mailing of commemorative Thanksgiving cards and business breakfasts are part of our tenth anniversary celebrations. Locke Design’s new corporate identity is developed using images from our founder’s portfolio in association with two interns from Anderson University. Locke Design becomes a member of the American Institute of Graphic Designers, AIGA. New services including web development, trade show graphics and technology driven multimedia designs are now available for our clients. Locke Design assists with the advertisement, corporate identity development of The Brown Street Club restaurant in downtown Greenville, SC. 2007 - Locke Design hires Chesley Tench as full time Marketing Director for the firm and Baker Gallimore is hired as a full time Graphic Designer. Offices are expanded and double in size featuring a larger conference room and office spaces. Business Breakfast and Ladies’ Tea programs begin. Johnathan Burgess is hired as a full-time web designer. Our firm begins to expand into the New York City Area and International Design Community. Brand Ambassadors Patsy Hendrix, Claudia Smith and Truman Smith are appointed. Prym Incorporated from Germany joins our firm as a client. Locke Design creates designs for Wal-Mart, Michael’s, Costco and Joanne’s Stores for the craft based company. We also design the company’s 1,600 square foot tradeshow booth for the International Craft Fair in Anaheim, California. 2008 – Intensive marketing to the New York City Area begins. Ashley Denny is hired as a full time assistant graphic and web designer to compliment our growing business. Our Plus One networking group debuts in Upstate South Carolina at the Commerce Club. Locke Design begins to make our Company and Green Business in a effort to be a community leader in environmentally friendly business. Locke Design is selected as the 30th largest advertising agency in Upstate South Carolina by GSA Business Magazine. Locke Design Partners with The Brown Street Club to bring a fashion show to downtown Greenville, SC celebrating applied art and fashion industry. The third incarnation of our website debuts, lockedesign.com 3.0.