







AUGUST 05, 2020 – Global brand development, innovation, advertising, and marketing services consultancy GERTRUDE, INC.™ announces the completed renovation of its 25,000 sq. ft. design-forward brand destination, THE BRNDHAUS PL-ZEN™ (www.brndhaus.co). The two-year long development is a transformational one that brings a new brand and energy to the 20-year-vacant property located at 1727 W. 21st Street in Chicago’s dynamic Pilsen neighborhood; and new opportunity to global brands and professional creative business.
Powered by GERTRUDE, INC., THE BRNDHAUS PL-ZEN is the new global HQ to the agency and its two divisions OZ MFG. COMPANY™ – Design & Content, and RAYE™ – Experiential & Architecture.
The newly opened BRNDHAUS is described as a ‘Global Brand Innovation and Content Factory’ dedicated to the development, consumer co-creation, incubation and activation of brands. “The BRNDHAUS PL-ZEN’s founding purpose is to cultivate brand experiences while aligning professional creative leaders, thinkers, and doers within a premium, forward-looking environment that nurtures memorable brands,” said GERTRUDE and BRNDHAUS Owner and Chief Creative Officer Otis D. Gibson, “It provides a contained, creatively-focused space for brands to develop, rapid prototype, engage with consumers, do pop-ups, and create and test ideas real-time in the heart of Pilsen.”
Additionally, the BRNDHAUS offers select rental opportunity exclusively for like-minded entrepreneurs and businesses, film and photo production, retail, showrooms, and events. Mindful of today’s ever-shifting businesses realities, Gibson and team took care to create a socially distanced, globally connected space that is COVID-19 safety compliant. The building features wide-open spaces with 17’ ceilings for production, offsite meetings, and events, along with THE BRNDHAUS PL-ZEN LIVE™—a livestream capability for remote shooting and broadcasting. Other amenities include private offices from 250-10,000 sq. ft., BRNDHAUS REMOTE Collaborative WRKSPACE™ , private meeting areas, secured parking, KAFFE ARLO™ LOUNGE, TOKIO 21™ GALLERY & GARDEN, and TOKIO 21™ MERCANTILE. Also stay tuned for the building’s custom BRNDHAUS HAUSBRANDS™: KAFFÈ ARLO™ HAUSBLEND™ Kaffee, THE BRNDHAUS HAUSBREW™ Pilsener, THE BRNDHAUS HAUSMIX™ Cocktails, and THE BRNDHAUS Snacks.
Gibson added, “With the business climate rapidly evolving and creating new opportunity for entrepreneurial solutions, THE BRNDHAUS PL-ZEN™ is a facility built for today’s world and anticipating what tomorrow may look like. We look forward to serving our clients and creative professionals as we collectively reshape and innovate an even stronger path forward.”
THE BRNDHAUS PL-ZEN™ is immediately available for brand experiences and activation, film and photo production, space leasing, REMOTE WRKSPACE, meetings, and private events.
For inquiries please contact 312.266.4410 or hello@brndhaus.co.
ABOUT GERTRUDE, INC.
GERTRUDE, INC. is minority owned and certified agency headquartered in Chicago. Some of GERTRUDE’s clients have included AB InBev, DIAGEO, The Hershey Company, Hewlett Packard, J&J Snack Foods, Mars Wrigley, Mead Johnson Nutrition, Microsoft, PepsiCo, Red Bull, Singha Beer, and Virgin.
