The Brightside: A brand that tells a story

MARYLAND. – For 19-year-old Nolan Thompson, clothes aren’t just means of expression, but a way to show love to your roots.

Nolan said he’s a Marylander through and through and he shows love to the beauty of his home state through his clothing brand, Born By The Bay.

“I started when I was in high school, my sophomore year; it was me and a couple buddies, we came up with the idea, and we were selling around the high school, and it ended up going really well for us. I had the idea to take the brand to the next level,” Nolan said.

The clothes are like a love letter to the Chesapeake Bay. T-shirts with big Maryland blue crabs on the back, camouflage hoodies perfect for chilly days on the water, and hats with the American flag, but instead of stripes, fish and crabs.

“I’ve grown up fishing and crabbing my whole life,” Nolan said. “My dad’s a commercial crabber, so it’s definitely something that I felt like I needed to incorporate in my brand.”

In just a few years, Nolan has watched his brand grow from an idea to a full-fledged business. His most consistent customers? Marylanders, of course.

“This year we just did 600 orders all around the state, all away from Ocean City to Annapolis. It’s been really awesome; been seeing it in a lot of places,” Nolan said.

But he said there’s still room for more growth. The young entrepreneur has dreams of taking his business national, so others can experience just how beautiful the Chesapeake Bay is, through his clothes.

“I have some dreams with the company. I hope to open a store one day, that’s my main goal, one day,” Nolan said.

To check out Born By The Bay’s fall sale, click here.