Starbucks has been selling merchandise for a while, with their city cups that people collect when they travel. Starbucks also has other merchandise (keyrings, stickers), as has the Hard Rock Café.
I have noticed that other stores are doing it now too. Not just big chains but micro-breweries, artisanal bakeries, bookstores, and independent coffee shops. There are normally t-shirts, tote bags, coffee mugs, beanies, baseball caps, coasters and stickers for sale. It’s a good idea for an additional revenue stream, but I wonder how many they sell? The merch in these stores is usually quite pricey.
The photo above was taken at a local café.
Interesting, isn’t it? I’ll often buy something branded from a small, indie favourite (I just bought a tote from https://thelefthookery.co.uk/ ) because I want to publicise and support them. I wonder at what point they’d be too large and I’d stop?!