Theme build
A custom or heavily extended Shopify theme. Sections, metafields, maintainable Liquid, not a locked black box.
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A lean theme your team can run.
Custom Shopify theme development on Online Store 2.0: sections, metafields, and performance budgets. Fast on mobile, editable without a dev for every banner, and yours on handover. Private apps only when no vetted app covers the gap.
Template vs custom
The template got you here. It will not get you further.
On a template
On custom
15 apps and builder scripts slow down mobile.Each app loads its own scripts. We audit and remove most of them during the rebuild.
✓Lean theme with a performance budget that holds.
You fight the template for every layout.Shared template logic forces one layout. Custom sections follow your design system instead.
✓Sections built for your brand and campaigns.
Afraid to touch it in case it breaks.No staging plus fragile hacks. Custom adds safe editor controls with limits built in.
✓Change banners and pages without a dev.
Workarounds and plugins you rent forever.Monthly fees stack up. One clean build replaces five plugin bills.
✓Repo, docs, and access you own on day one.
Checkout looks generic and leaks at payment.Generic badges and extra steps. A tuned checkout matches your brand and flow.
✓Checkout tuned to your flow and trust signals.
Blog and landing limits hurt Google over time.Rigid templates cap headings and links. Clean structure keeps crawlers happy.
✓Clean structure that keeps rankings intact.
Support means forum threads and plugin authors.Three vendors point at each other. One team owns the full theme instead.
✓One principal who built it and answers.
How we build
Built to hand over, not to lock in.
Clean Liquid
Sections and metafields your team can reuse. No locked black box, no mystery code.
Fast by default
Core Web Vitals treated as a requirement. Fast on a phone, stable when traffic spikes.
Editable
Content changes without a ticket for every banner. Training included so the editor stays safe.
Yours
Repo, docs, and access from day one. Stay with us if you want, not because you have to.
Concrete deliverables, no hand-waving.
Performance
Core Web Vitals treated as a requirement. Fast enough to sell on a phone.
Editor training
Your team can change content without calling a developer for every banner.
Handover
Repo, docs, access. You own it. Stay on retainer if you want, not because you have to.
Built for teams like yours.
Stores outgrowing Dawn / Horizon
Template plus 10+ apps is slow, fragile, and blocks the design. Time for a lean custom theme.
New Shopify builds
Design is ready. It needs to become a live Online Store 2.0 theme with clean Liquid.
Lean teams
You need senior-level Shopify engineering without hiring in-house, with handover you own.
Questions we hear a lot.
Custom theme or premium theme with tweaks?
Premium themes cover simple catalogs well. Go custom when variant logic, bundling, or brand storytelling cannot fit sections without hacks, or when app bloat keeps dragging Core Web Vitals down. We audit first and say so plainly, even if the answer saves you money.
Will we be able to edit content ourselves?
Yes. Sections, metafields, and sane defaults are part of the build, plus editor training. Banner and landing updates should not need a developer ticket. Guardrails keep the design intact while your team ships campaigns.
How do you keep the theme fast?
Performance budgets from day one. Conditional script loading, lean Liquid, image discipline per template, and quarterly app audits. We treat Core Web Vitals as a requirement, not a report you read after launch.
Who owns the code?
You do, on full payment. Repo, docs, metafield schema, and access from day one. Stay with us if you want help. Leave whenever you like without a hostage situation.
How long does a custom theme build take?
Focused builds typically run 4 to 8 weeks. Larger catalogs with configurators, bundles, or B2B logic run longer because QA multiplies with every template and integration. We fix the timeline in the proposal after scoping, then hold it by freezing scope during the build.
Can you build from our Figma or existing design?
Yes, happily. We review the files for section logic, metafield needs, and mobile behavior before quoting, then build clean Liquid from them. If the design fights Online Store 2.0 conventions, we flag it early with alternatives rather than hacking around it quietly.
What happens to the apps we already pay for?
We audit the stack before building. Apps that earn their keep stay and get integrated properly. Overlapping or heavy ones get replaced with native theme features where the math holds. Fewer vendors means fewer failure modes on sale days, and often lower monthly spend after launch.
What happens when Shopify ships platform updates?
Because the theme is built natively on Online Store 2.0 with maintainable Liquid, updates are routine rather than rebuilds. Docs show what to touch and what to leave alone. If you want us on call for platform changes and seasonal work, retainers cover that. If not, any solid Shopify developer can pick it up.
Shopify Store Design & Redesign
New build from scratch or redesign. Product pages, collections, cart, and checkout designed mobile-first to look like your brand and convert.
WooCommerce to Shopify Migration
From WooCommerce, Wix, Magento, Shopware, or custom. Catalog, customers, orders, URLs, and 301 redirects, then a designed storefront.
Shopify Store Care
Already selling on Shopify? Stay fast, findable, and sharp from $499/mo. Pause or adjust any month as needs change.
A lean theme your team can run.
Free 30-minute discovery call. We’ll map your situation and give you an honest read.