Why do people love coffee-shop merch so much? Well, people love coffee. According to a 2026 National Coffee Association report, 66% of Americans had coffee in the past day, and 47% had a specialty coffee. People build identities around their favorite coffees, the shops that have become their third places, and the staff who know their order as soon as they walk in. People love to let their water bottles, shirts, hats, and coffee mugs say something about who they are. Here’s a guide to where to shop in Nashville for merch that fits your vibe:
Like to laugh? I told you about my old-school favorite Bagelshop merch. Max and Kayla Palmer have great senses of humor, and that shows up in their Donelson shop. For Halloween, nab a shirt with a skeleton that says, “cause of death: no bagel.”
Appreciate old-school graphics? I think Bryce McCloud is one of the city’s most talented artists. Back in the day, he designed logos and merchandise for Barista Parlor. The shop has closed some locations and scaled back, but they still have some OG merch for sale.
Want to embrace a tongue-in-cheek hipster aesthetic? “The philosophy around merch is trying not to take ourselves too seriously, only creating and selling things that we would wear ourselves, and trying our best to tie in local artists and creators when we can,” says Subliminal Coffee Co. director of coffee, Jared Johnson. Jacob Street draws most of their designs.
Show off your eco-consciousness: Check out the coffee farm merch from Crema. The bumper sticker is worthy of hanging on your wall.
More to explore: I haven’t made it to Earl Espresso since it moved to Hillsboro Village, but since it joined forces with The Green Ray books, I'm confident you can sit and shop for a while. Other coffee shops worth checking out, for the beverages and the merch, include Living Waters Brewing, SUMP Coffee, Tempo (complete with metronome), Forevermore, Silver Fox Coffee Lounge, and Frothy Monkey.
