Commerce

The Best Coffee Shop Merchandise

January 18, 2023

A round-up of great merchandise ideas from coffee shops around the country.

Wondering how to grow your profits even after the last latte is served for the day? The answer is merchandise. Coffee shops around the country are expanding their brand beyond the bean and building recognition within the community with the help of awesome merch. Below, you’ll find ten coffee shops that are selling custom merchandise from at-home cold brew kits to beanies to tote bags.

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Gift Box at Cafe Patachou

Indianapolis, Indiana | www.cafepatachou.com

Why pick just one piece of merchandise when you can have a whole collection of goodies? The Patachou Gift Box gathers up some of the top sellers in their online store including a 12 oz bag of a house blend whole bean coffee, their coveted granola, a gluten-free brownie, their classic coffee mug and a jar of their signature cinnamon-sugar blend (perfect for buttered sourdough bread). The gift box can be shipped anywhere in the country — so folks from all over can get a taste of Indy — or be picked up at any of the six Cafe Patachou locations.

Short Sleeved Shirt at Founders Coffee

Las Vegas, Nevada | www.founderscoffeeco.com

Fans of Founders Coffee can show off their loyalty with a t-shirt that features the coffee shop name front and center. The online store offers a variety of apparel like a tank top with the spot’s cactus logo, a tee with a hexagon camouflage design and short sleeved shirts with tropical prints (shown above).

Mask at Blank Slate

New York, New York | www.blankslatenyc.com

Mask merch is a sign of the times. In an era when face coverings are commonplace, why not represent your favorite coffee shop instead of wearing a generic mask? Blank Slate keeps theirs simple with a black mask featuring their white logo.

Cold Brew Kit at Lucky Lab Coffee Co.

Austin, Texas | www.luckylabcoffee.com

Austin coffee drinkers who love supporting their local coffee shop but don’t always feel like venturing out can enjoy their favorite roasters right at home thanks to this cold brew kit. Lucky Lab Coffee Co. sells bags for $15 that include six cold brew pouches. The instructions are straightforward — the only prep work involved is getting your batch started at least 24 hours before you want to sip some.

Pom-Pom Beanies at Fox in the Snow

Columbus, Ohio | www.foxinthesnow.com

Most of the Fox in the Snow’s merchandise spotlights their signature jumping fox logo — you’ll find it on their crewneck sweatshirts, travel mugs, t-shirts and hats. But both their black and green pom-pom beanies take a different route with the coffee shop’s name in all caps printed around the hat. This is a great example of how to vary your merch offerings and inspiration for ways to stray from defaulting to your logo without losing sight of your brand.

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A Beginner’s Guide to Restaurant Branding

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Tote Bag at Two Hands

New York, Nashville, Austin | www.twohandshospitality.com

Two Hands lives and breathes their ethos, which centers around being a community-focused spot, creating a welcoming space, honoring Australian cafe culture and sourcing locally to create simple and approachable fare. Their tote bag sports the same messaging with a phrase of “good food, good vibes” and a subtle Two Hands call-out. This type of merchandise isn’t overly branded but still carries out the coffee shop’s character in a way that’s right on brand.

Pottery Mug at Goddess and the Baker

Chicago, Illinois + Wisconsin | www.goddessandthebaker.com

As a coffee shop, it’s only fitting to offer drinkware as part of your merchandise line-up. In fact, Goddess and the Baker sells a dozen different types in their online store. Their collection includes city-specific mugs (Chicago and Milwaukee), camping mugs, cork bottom mugs, a slew of ceramics with various logo styles and a reusable water bottle. One particularly special piece is the Deneen Pottery Mug, which is hand-thrown by Midwest-based Deneen Pottery.

Coffee Subscription at Stan’s Donuts & Coffee

Chicago, Illinois | www.stansdonuts.com

Make sure your devoted customers never run out of coffee at home with a recurring subscription of your beans. Stan’s Donuts & Coffee sells theirs either ground or whole bean with the option of three different types of roasts (house, espresso and decaf). Delivery can be set up weekly, biweekly or monthly, depending on how strong the caffeine addiction is.

Travel Tumbler at Milk & Pull

New York, New York | www.milkandpull.com

Milk & Pull fans can take their cup of Joe on the go with a sleek travel tumbler. This merchandise is perfect for takeout coffee enthusiasts who want a reusable cup that also shows off their loyalty to their favorite roastery. You might consider offering a discount to customers who bring in their own containers — it helps cut down on the costs of to-go cups and also encourages tumbler sales.

Sticker at Java Moe’s

Hattiesburg, Mississippi | www.javamoes.com

If you’re currently selling the standard merchandise items (think clothing, drinkware or bagged coffee) and want to add a small but fun offering, look at stickers. These are popular for dressing up laptops, water bottles, keychains, cars and more. Slap your logo onto a sticker for an easy option, or brainstorm a bunch of on-brand designs that you can make into an entire sticker sheet.

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