Black Coffee Apparel kicked off in 2015, though the idea was brewing long before that — in a small Ottawa coffee business where one guy started sketching out a vision for something different. Something the city didn’t really have yet. Something small-batch, creative, and built around the kind of art that doesn’t fade into the background.
It didn’t start with a business plan or a boardroom. It started with caffeine, a notebook, and a feeling that Ottawa was ready for a brand that didn’t look like everything else on the rack.
From the beginning, Black Coffee was created by artists as much as anything. What began as a few apparel sketches quickly turned into a series of collaborations with some of Ottawa’s most talented creators — people like Jesse Germs, Pat Buck, and Heather Bisaillion. Their styles shaped the early identity of the brand, from tattoo-inspired pieces to mind-bending designs that you couldn’t find anywhere else in the city. Back then, Ottawa didn’t have many clothing companies doing what we were doing, and maybe that was part of what made people pay attention.
We started with apparel, because that’s what felt natural. But as the brand grew, so did the ideas. Before long, we found ourselves stepping into goods that felt close to our hearts — including skateboards. Skate culture has always run parallel to our world: creative, expressive, community-driven. Seeing our art on decks felt like the brand levelling up into something bigger while still staying true to its roots.
And through all of this, Ottawa was the backdrop. A city that’s often underestimated, but one that quietly grows artists, musicians, skaters, makers — people who care about the local scene and aren’t afraid to show up for it. A city where nature is always just a short drive away, ready to reset your brain when things get loud. Ottawa shaped Black Coffee in ways we didn’t realize at the time. The community here didn’t just support us — it pushed us.
Of course, ten years isn’t ten years of perfect. Running a small business teaches you quickly that you need thick skin and a lot of heart. There were highs where everything felt possible, and lows where it felt like the brand needed a breather. What was meant to be a short pause to recharge was followed by the pandemic — and suddenly that pause started to look a lot more like the end. For a while, it truly seemed like Black Coffee Apparel might not come back.
It took time, patience, and a lot of support, but gradually, Black Coffee Apparel found a way forward. With help from longtime retail partner and friends at Top of the World, two longtime customers were able to step in and purchase the brand. The goal was simple — pick up right where Black Coffee had left off before the pandemic.
That’s community. That’s Ottawa. That’s the reason we’re still here.
Since then, we’ve focused on improving our products, refining fits, elevating the fabrics, and making sure that everything we produce is sourced ethically, sweatshop-free, and printed locally here in Ottawa. Some values bend over time. Ours didn’t. If anything, they got stronger.And there we were again, this small Ottawa clothing brand shipping not just throughout Canada but across the globe. It's definitely something we never imagined.
Now, ten years in, we’re proud. Proud of the city that raised us. Proud of the artists who trusted us. Proud of the skate community who welcomed us. Proud of the customers who stuck around through every up and down. And proud that, in a world of fast trends and throwaway fashion, we’re still small-batch, still intentional, still here.
But when we look back, the best part isn’t the designs or the drops or the things we made. It’s the people. The ones who show up at every pop-up. The ones who message us after every release. The ones we met because of this brand who became friends. The relationships — that’s the real reward. That’s the part that makes the late nights and the hard years worth it.
Black Coffee Apparel has always been about community, creativity, and the city we call home. And as we hit the 10-year mark, we’re more excited than ever to see where the next chapter leads.
Thank you to everyone who's supported BCA. Here’s to the next decade.