When DT made the Victorian at 1547 Third Street its permanent home in 2021, the branding and design agency came full circle. Thirty years earlier, co-founders Kim Schaeffer and Amy Predmore had launched the business in a tiny 150-square-foot Victorian office just a few blocks away. After seven locations over three decades, they were back where they had started—in a Victorian in the heart of downtown Napa.
Kim and Amy came to Napa from Los Angeles in 1996 hoping to build a creative business in a smaller community. They knew little about wine and had no idea it would become the focus of their careers. They quickly immersed themselves in Chamber mixers, community events and every opportunity to build relationships. “We said we’d hit the ground running,” Kim recalls, “and we did.”
Success didn’t come overnight. DT said yes to every creative challenge that came its way, evolving from a traditional graphic design firm into a full-service creative agency. “We can’t say no,” Amy jokes. They designed everything from sporting goods packaging and fitness marketing to early websites. Along the way, Kim and Amy built relationships throughout the valley, but “It probably took a good ten years to even penetrate the wine industry.”
A major turning point came when Far Niente hired DT as it launched Nickel & Nickel, opening the door to decades of winery branding work. At a time when traditional wine label design dominated the industry, DT distinguished itself with bold colors, a more modern aesthetic and its “Resist the Usual” approach. More than two decades later, Vineyard 29, Far Niente and Fantesca remain among DT’s longest-standing clients. That same longevity is true within DT itself, where Art Director Kris Yumul recently celebrated 20 years with the agency, while Senior Designer Karl Bellagio is approaching 16 years.
Today, DT is firmly established as part of Napa’s business community. “Now,” Kim laughs, “we know everybody at the mixers.”
Story and photos by Priscillia de Muizon, Inkwell Story Studio.
