Ernie Barnes, the American artist who created the iconic painting The Sugar Shack, grew up in Durham, North Carolina, during the Jim Crow era. The painting captures Barnes’ unique style of elongated characters and movement. The Sugar Shack depicts dancing figures in a crowded Black music hall (or juke joint) in segregated North Carolina. Versions of this painting have been featured on the cover of Marvin Gaye’s I Want You album and in the credits of the TV show, Good Times.

For us, The Sugar Shack serves as an allusion to the happiness (anigyɛ) people feel when it's Friday. The freedom, joy, and passion depicted in the original art are all characteristics that we wanted to shine through in our interpretation. The cultural and emotional elements that make this work so iconic resonate completely with our brand. The lively atmosphere and dynamic energy captured in the artwork mirror the essence of Friday's Best: the release of pent-up energy as people look forward to enjoying their weekend.