How to Start a Custom Hockey Team Apparel Shop

Who Should Open a Custom Hockey Apparel Shop

Bear Grips Pro Shops works for any organizer who wants to put custom branded apparel in front of a hockey community without taking on inventory risk. The most common shop types we see in hockey:

• Youth hockey coaches and program directors -- set up team shops before the season, earn profit for the program or personal income
• Booster club presidents -- run a branded shop as a fundraiser for the program's expenses
• Adult rec league organizers -- give your Monday-night skaters a place to buy branded gear
• Travel hockey team managers -- single-team shops for roster gear, parent wear, and tournament items
• Junior and high school program ADs -- department-level shops covering multiple team sports with one account
• Hockey associations and leagues -- league-branded gear for members across all divisions

You do not need to be a business owner or know anything about apparel production. Bear Grips handles everything from printing to packing to free shipping.

Step-by-Step: Setting Up Your Hockey Apparel Shop

Here is the full setup process from signup to first sale:

1. Sign up free at shops.beargrips.com/signup. No credit card required for the free plan.
2. Set your shop name -- usually your team or program name ("Northshore Wolves Hockey" or "Lakeside Youth Hockey Association").
3. Upload your logo -- PNG with transparent background works best. If you do not have a logo file ready, use our free logo maker to create one.
4. Choose your products -- free plan supports 3 products. A good starting lineup: one hoodie, one tee, one hat.
5. Set your retail prices -- we recommend $10 over base price per item as a starting point. You can adjust anytime.
6. Preview your shop -- we generate mockups of your logo on each product so you can see exactly how it looks before publishing.
7. Publish and share -- your shop gets a unique URL. Drop it in GroupMe, your team email list, or your program's Facebook group.

Building Your First Hockey Apparel Product Lineup

You do not need 50 products to run a successful hockey shop. Most programs find their first 3-5 products drive 80% of sales. Here is a proven starting lineup:

For a youth hockey program shop:

1. Bear Grips Comfort Soft Hoodie (for players and parents)
2. Sport-Tek Youth Moisture-Wicking Tee (for the players specifically)
3. Richardson Classic Rope Hat or Yupoong Flat Bill Snapback (low-cost add-on)

For an adult rec league shop:

1. Bear Grips Comfort Soft Hoodie
2. Bear Grips Airlume Cotton Athletic Tee
3. Yupoong Adjustable Cotton Lifestyle Hat

For a booster club fundraiser shop:

1. Champion Performance Hoodie (high perceived value)
2. Bella+Canvas Women's Favorite Tee (for the mom audience)
3. Cuffed Winter Hat (seasonal add-on)

Free Plan vs VIP Plan for a Hockey Team Shop

The free plan is the right starting point for coaches and booster clubs testing a shop for the first time. Here is what each plan offers:

For a program selling 10+ items per month, VIP pays for itself. The $59/month subscription cost is recovered with 6-10 hoodie sales at the VIP base price vs. free base price. Beyond that, every sale is extra margin in your pocket.

Start free. Upgrade when the math makes sense.

How to Get Your First Sales From a Hockey Apparel Shop

The fastest path to first sales is direct sharing in your existing hockey community. You already have the audience -- you just need to send them the link.

• Team group chat (GroupMe, Band, WhatsApp) -- post the link with a quick message: "We now have a team shop. Hoodies, shirts, and hats with our logo. Ships to your door."
• Email to program families -- a single email at the start of the season explaining the shop drives the first 20-30 orders
• Instagram or Facebook -- post a mockup of the hoodie or tee and link to the shop in your bio
• Tournament day -- mention the shop on the tournament bracket sheet or post a QR code at the scorer's table

Programs that add the shop link to their registration confirmation email see the highest conversion rates -- families are already in buying mode when they sign up for the season.