Merch Ideas for Every Kind of Local Business

The best merch for a local business is something your regulars would want even if your logo weren't on it, with a design that makes them feel like insiders. In practice that usually means a t-shirt, a hoodie and a hat, plus one product that fits your trade: a mug for a coffee shop, a tote for a bookstore, an apron for a bakery.

Below are ideas by type of business, by occasion and by product, along with a few principles that separate merch people wear from merch that sits in a drawer.

What makes merch people actually wear

Before the ideas, three principles. They apply to every business.

1. Make it look good first and advertise second. People wear shirts they like. A giant logo in the middle of the chest reads as a uniform; a small mark on the left chest, a well-placed back print or a clever line of text reads as something worth wearing.

2. Use your insiders' language. Every local business has things only regulars know: the nickname for your biggest drink, the dog who sleeps by the door, the street corner you're on, the year you opened. Merch that uses those feels like a membership, not an ad.

3. Lean on your place. Your neighborhood, city or region is part of your brand. "Est. 2014 — Corner of 5th and Main" works on a shirt in a way your website URL never will.

And one rule: only use artwork you own. No sports logos, cartoon characters or other brands: a trademark is exactly the name, logo or design that tells customers whose goods they're buying. See what you can and can’t put on merch.

Merch ideas by business type

Coffee shops and roasters

• A mug with your logo — the obvious one, and the one that sells.
• An insulated tumbler for customers who bring their own cup.
• A tee with your signature drink's name, or your roast names as a list on the back.
• A tote bag for customers who buy beans.
• An apron like the one your baristas wear.

More: 15 Coffee Shop Merch Ideas · Merch for coffee shops

Breweries and taprooms

• A classic logo tee — brewery shirts get worn to other breweries.
• Shirts for your flagship beers, using the label art.
• Embroidered hats and beanies.
• A hoodie for the patio crowd in colder months.
• A release-day shirt available only for a limited time.

More: Brewery Merch Ideas · Merch for breweries

Gyms, CrossFit boxes and fitness studios

• Tanks and lightweight tees members actually train in.
• A hoodie for before and after class.
• A water bottle with your logo.
• A shirt for each challenge or milestone ("100 classes").
• Coach and staff shirts that match what members can buy.

More: Gym Merch Ideas · Merch for gyms

Restaurants, taquerias and pizzerias

• A tee with a favorite menu item as the design.
• A hat — restaurant hats are a classic.
• An apron for home cooks who love your food.
• A tote bag for takeout regulars.
• Stickers to hand out with takeout orders.

More: Restaurant Merch Ideas · Merch for restaurants

Bakeries

• Aprons — the natural product for a bakery's fans.
• A tote bag for carrying loaves home.
• A mug that goes with the morning pastry.
• Seasonal tees (pie season, holiday cookie season).
• A sweatshirt with a hand-drawn version of your signature bake.

More: Bakery Merch Ideas · Merch for bakeries

Yoga and pilates studios

• Soft tanks and tees for class.
• A crewneck sweatshirt for after class.
• A tote for carrying a mat and a change of clothes.
• A water bottle.
• A shirt for each teacher-training cohort.

More: Yoga Studio Merch Ideas · Merch for yoga studios

Ice cream and dessert shops

• Bright, fun tees, especially for summer.
• Stickers — kids love them, and they're an easy impulse buy.
• A tote or mug with your cone or scoop as the design.
• A "flavor of the month" design that changes with the season.

More: Merch for ice cream shops

Bookstores

• A tote bag — the bookstore product. Every book lover needs one.
• A tee with a reading-related line or your shop's motto.
• A mug for reading with.
• Book-club shirts.
• Stickers and pins for laptops and notebooks.

More: Bookstore Merch Ideas · Merch for bookstores

Record and music stores

• Tees with a design that nods to vinyl or your favorite genre.
• Stickers, lots of them.
• A tote for carrying records home.
• A shirt for Record Store Day each year.

Surf, skate and bike shops

• Tees and tanks with a beach, trail or local spot.
• Hats for sun.
• Hoodies for early mornings.
• Visitors buy a place as much as a brand: put your town's name on it.

Barbershops and salons

• Hats and tees with a classic, old-school look.
• Aprons for staff.
• Stickers for mirrors and laptops.

Pet businesses (groomers, trainers, pet stores)

• "Proud dog parent" style tees with your logo.
• Tote bags for treats and gear.
• Stickers and mugs with your shop's mascot.

(Note: our catalog is for people, not pets — there's no pet apparel.)

Food trucks

• Hats and tees to wear on the truck and sell at events.
• Stickers to hand out with orders.
• Put your QR code on the truck's menu board.

Nonprofits and community groups

• Campaign shirts for a specific cause or event.
• Volunteer tees.
• Tote bags and mugs as donor thank-you gifts.
• With no upfront cost, every sale is pure fundraising — see Merch as a Fundraiser.

Merch ideas by occasion

• Your anniversary. "Est. 2016 — 10 years" shirt, available for one month only.
• Opening a new location. A shirt that names both locations.
• The holidays. Gifts for people who love your business. See Holiday Merch Ideas.
• Small Business Saturday. A special design to mark the Saturday after Thanksgiving.
• Local events. A shirt for the street fair, the 5K or the big game weekend (using your own design, not the team's logo).
• Staff. Shirts or aprons that match what customers can buy. See Staff Shirts for Small Businesses.
• A collaboration. A shirt designed by a local artist, or a co-branded design with the business next door.

Merch ideas by product

On The Merch Counter you can sell 14 types of product. Here's what each is best for:

What not to do

• Don't put your logo huge in the middle of everything. Vary size and placement.
• Don't use someone else's logos, characters or slogans. It can get your shop removed.
• Don't launch 20 products. Start with 3–5 and add what customers ask for.
• Don't make it all about you. The best merch is about your customers: their drink, their neighborhood, their membership.

How to try these ideas without risk

With print on demand, ideas cost nothing to test. You can put a design on a shirt, see it on a real product photo, and list it in minutes. If it doesn't sell, remove it. Nothing was printed, so nothing is wasted.