Nine Line Apparel quietly opened in Grovetown on March 20, offering coffee and patriotic-themed clothes and gifts to a burgeoning customer base of mostly service members.
The Savannah-based clothing store was launched in 2013 by veterans Matt Lyda and Daniel and Tyler Merritt. Since its beginnings, making clothes in Tyler Merritt’s garage, the company has gone on to open stores in the Savannah area as well as Charleston, S.C. and Del Ray Beach, Fla.
“Essentially, what they’re trying to do is put them close to forts,” said Myah Christian, general manager at the new Grovetown location. “We’re here because of Fort Gordon.”
The apparel is geared toward veterans, and most shoppers so far have been military service members, police offers, firefighters and emergency medical personnel, as the shop offers free drip coffee to personnel in those fields, if in uniform.
The clothes, many of them humorous in nature, generally have themes related to military life, firearms and patriotism. The most popular item at the store, Christian said, has been the Winnie-the-Pooh shirt, which features the beloved character toting a machine gun.
The retail chain also puts forth initiatives to aid veterans, such as Run for the Wounded, which benefits homeless vets; and the Nine Line Foundation, which is dedicated to meeting the financial needs of servicemembers injured in combat, along with their families.
Nine Line is tucked away in Gateway Square, next to the new Cold Stone Creamery ice cream parlor. When it first opened, most shoppers were unaware that it was also a coffee shop. Now, most visitors come to buy from the café, and coffee bags—from veteran-owned brands such as Nightstalker Blend and Black Rifle Coffee Company—are among the biggest selling items.
“We don’t want to overwhelm our employees,” Christian said. “We wanted them to get a good flow of everything; that’s why we did the whole soft opening.”
The store aims to gradually ramp up the marketing, leading up to a grand opening event in roughly four months. There are also plans to add more racks, as well as tables and leather furniture to set up lounge areas.
“We’re just we’re just trying to get everything where it needs to be before we do that,” Christian said.
Nine Line Apparel Augusta is located at 284 Meridian Drive, in Grovetown. For more information, visit its Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/ninelineapparelaugusta.
Skyler Q. Andrews is a staff reporter covering business for The Augusta Press. Reach him at skyler@theaugustapress.com.
