How We Split Our Shopify Menu Like Magicians—Here’s How You Can Too!

Ah, menus! Delicious in a restaurant but daunting on a website. Picture this: I’m staring at my screen at 2 AM, the gloriously chirping crickets reminding me of the sleep I’ve forsaken. All for the noble cause of tailoring a website’s menu so that men’s apparel won’t feel stranded on the wrong side of digital real estate. If you’re in the same predicament as I was, sit tight. We’re diving into the depths of Shopify’s menu customization without drowning in tech lingo.

The Lightbulb Moment

Once upon an evening, there I was, squinting at the Shopify dashboard, scribbling pseudo-magic formulas into a notebook. “Split the menu,” I muttered under my breath as though uttering an incantation. My eureka moment came from pondering: What if we approached this logically and didn’t just brute force our way through the digital wilderness?

Step 1: Planning the Great Divide

Wake up and smell the need for planning! Before we go gallivanting into code lines, sketch—yes, on paper—how you envision your menu layout. Split the left for wonders of all things women; reserve the right for dazzling men’s merchandise. Simple visuals can guide your planning and ensure we’re not designing a web monster.

Step 2: Let’s Visit Our Theme Editor

Armed with sketches, I stormed the virtual fort known as the Shopify Admin. From here, I embarked on a journey to Online Store > Themes > Customize. You've been there, right? Promise me this isn’t your first rodeo. Visualizing changes is easier when standing on the shoulder of giants—or, as we prefer: theme templates.

Step 3: Mastering Menus in the Navigation Section

Mosey on to Online Store > Navigation. You'll find yourself at the helm, staring at your current menu. But wait—I hear a plot twist! Instead of frantically jumping into code, we first craft a new menu. Name it something catchy like “Men’s Collection,” or, if you're like me, spend eleven minutes choosing a name and settle for “Right Side Wonder.”

Step 4: Adding a New Link List

Have I lost you? Fear not! We're not delving into complex wizardry yet. Click ‘Add menu’ and add relevant links—categories, collections, perhaps even dreams you dare to achieve—under this new menu. Voila, navigation is personified into left and right dining tables.

Step 5: Conjuring the Megamenu Code

This is where horses might get a touch nervous, but fear not—our trusty quill and shiny keyboard light the way. Navigate to Online Store > Themes > Actions > Edit Code. Dive into theme.liquid and the depths of header.liquid. Now’s cue time for code snippet magic.

The charm lies in inserting custom HTML and CSS to split the menu just right. Using unique styles lets us slap our two-menu masterpiece onto the stage.

<nav class="site-nav">
  <ul>
    <li class="left-menu"> 
      <!-- Liquid code to render first menu -->
      {% render 'main-menu' %}
    </li>
    <li class="right-menu"> 
      <!-- Liquid code to render second menu -->
      {% render 'right-side-wonder' %}
    </li>
  </ul>
</nav>

And don’t forget our favorite:

.left-menu {
  float: left;
}

.right-menu {
  float: right;
}

/* Additional styling can be added here to jazz things up */

Step 6: Visual Tweaks and Polish

Back at the scene inside the trusty theme customizer, it's almost like rearranging furniture. Use the CSS prowess to adjust paddings, margins, and maybe even add a splash of color—like your afternoon coffee inevitably landing near your hoodie—ensuring every pixel sparkles with grace.

The "Done and Dusted" Feeling

Swish-swash, you've just weaved a digital marvel. Or, more realistically, clicked refresh and maybe whispered, "I did it!" as the new menu layout feels oh-so-fresh. Revel in the glories of segmented menus and usher in an era of organized shopping.

Sharing Our Tale

And there you have it, dear reader—our odyssey from a tangled web menu to split-screen brilliance! If you’d like to chat about it over coffee or exchange horror stories about stubborn themes, reach out. After all, shared experiences—like misspent hours on Shopify—create bonds stronger than the finest HTML steel.

Here's to hoping we all learn lessons before 2 AM strikes again and that our digital rearranging works in not only solving problems but makes us feel like culinary artists crafting a wondrous buffet—without the calories.