Localizing a New York Brand in the Heart of Houston
For Citizens, a trendy cafe with multiple existing locations in New York City, we implemented our tried-and-true playbook for helping out-of-town businesses burst onto the Houston scene with buzz & reach.
Client: Citizens of Montrose
X
Citizens of Montrose, the first Texas location of the beloved New York-based café brand, known for its elevated Australian-style coffee culture and all-day café menu.
As Citizens prepared to enter the competitive Houston coffee and brunch scene, South House was brought on to help localize the brand, generate buzz around the Montrose Collective opening, and ensure Citizens resonated authentically with Houstonians — not just as a transplant, but as a welcomed neighbor.
South House developed a hyper-local launch campaign that introduced Citizens with intention. We positioned the café as a design-forward, community-rooted concept, pairing its signature NYC polish with Houston’s love for locally minded, experience-driven brands. A rotating charity giveback initiative was launched as a key differentiator — allowing Citizens to donate a portion of proceeds to Houston-based nonprofits each month.
Through curated media outreach and strategic influencer previews, South House secured high-impact press in Houston Chronicle, CultureMap, Eater, Houstonia, PaperCity, and other lifestyle outlets, reinforcing Citizens’ arrival as one of Houston’s most anticipated openings. We also partnered with well-aligned local nonprofits and creators to amplify the café’s monthly donation campaigns — including organizations focused on food insecurity, youth empowerment, and LGBTQ+ support.
Simultaneously, we supported social content that spotlighted the café’s standout dishes, design details, and community storytelling, giving Citizens a distinctly Houston tone while maintaining brand consistency with its New York roots.
Citizens of Montrose was not only embraced as a stylish new café, but as an invested member of the Houston community — thanks to a localized PR strategy that balanced visibility, purpose, and voice. The campaign helped solidify Citizens as a go-to destination in Montrose and laid the groundwork for long-term brand equity in Texas.
