Bagelshop (my go-to Donelson bagel stop) used to sell merch that read “Thanks a Lox” in that retro red grocery-bag font. It made me laugh. I was thinking about it the other day and asked people on social media about their favorite Nashville coffee shop merch. Wowza, did everyone have opinions! This was the most DMs I’ve ever received.
Here are some highly caffeinated suggestions for locally owned coffee shop swag:
This was the most popular suggestion (and, honestly, one of the few already on my list because of the honey bear). I asked Andrew Cook, one of Elegy’s owners, why he thought it resonated with folks. “I think merch is hugely important. It comes with the territory for me as a freelance merch designer, which I think gives us a leg up,” he says. “We don’t have to outsource anything design-wise. Everything we put out there comes from the source and represents us exactly how we want it to, whether it’s elements of our core branding or silly ‘90s skateboard brand-inspired stickers.”
This summer, I confessed I hadn't yet made it to Dozen’s new location in Woodbine. I've rectified the oversight, and I can confirm their merch is as adorable as their baked goods are delicious. There’s a beanie that reads “BUTTER,” T-shirts that say “Dozen Bakery” with a line drawing of a baguette, and a T-shirt with a slice of pie that reads “Dozen.” And this Sunday, Oct. 25, is their Autumn Staff Market, a good time to shop local-made goods.
A major part of the Matryoshka brand identity is being loud and unapologetic, and the merch reflects that. (Courtesy of Matryoshka Coffee)
Up there with Elegy, South Nashville’s Matryoshka Coffee was a crowd favorite. Owner Abbey Chiavario is an artist, and her sensibility comes through in the merch. “I want anything with our name on it to evoke a feeling, whether that be nostalgia, excitement, or laughter. Whatever helps us transcend that invisible barrier from business to brand,” she says. Grab a hand-dyed roomy tote bag, stickers, or a T-shirt. Some 2025 werewolf tees are still available, perfect for Halloween.
Rounding out my DM's list of top coffee-shop merch is East Nashville’s Weak. There’s something primal about wearing a T-shirt or drinking out of a mug that reads, “WEAK.” Steph Reiman designs in-house for the coffee shop inside a drum shop, making it the most Nashville of Nashville coffee stops.
