As Black sorority and fraternity members from all over the country plan to party and stroll across the Atlanta University Center this fall, a few miles away, one man is hunkered down in front of two massive embroidery machines racing the clock to produce paraphernalia for homecoming season.
Ashanti Johnson, also known as A.J., is the owner of Da Greek Spot, a local clothing shop selling custom embroidered Divine Nine and HBCU merchandise. Shoppers across the country can buy hats, shirts, jackets, sweatshirts, pajamas, and more.
“Homecoming is a lot of pressure because not only do you have to sell merch … you have to make it for particular dates,” Johnson said. “And then next month is probate season [when fraternities and sororities intake new members], and probate season is the best month of the whole year.”
Walking into Johnson’s shop in Inman Park, the constant clacking of his machines can be heard coming from the back of the store as he works on orders such as an army fatigue hat with pink and green letters for an Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority member and custom patches on a blue and white letterman jacket for a Zeta Phi Beta sorority member.
“The difference between me and anybody else is that I sell unique merch. A lot of my stuff is always custom so it makes it where you can’t just go down the street and buy the same thing from somebody else,” Johnson said.
He first started his entrepreneurial endeavors in the 1990s selling music, art, and some D9 swag out of his college dorm room at the University of West Georgia.
Johnson said he was inspired to provide fashionable items to D9 members on campus after realizing that at UWG, a predominantly white institution, there weren’t any local places available for Black students to get Greek paraphernalia after crossing.
As time went on, Johnson decided it was time to explore a larger market, and in 2015 he headed to Atlanta. He first set up shop at a small booth in Little Five Points, and he officially changed his business name to “Da Greek Spot.”
At the time, Johnson sold only D9 merchandise that was created by large manufacturers, but he said he became inspired leaning on sewing skills he developed while growing up with a mother and grandmother who quilted.
After learning how to embroider, Johnson launched his own custom D9 designs in 2020. Now, six years later, he’s busier than ever.
Pricing at Da Greek Spot for custom work varies depending on the garment and embroidery involved. An original designed shirt from the shop can range from around $50 to $70, and custom embroidered sweatshirts and jackets can cost several hundred dollars.
In a conversation with Capital B Atlanta, Johnson talked about his family’s artistic background and his entrepreneurial journey. This interview has been edited for clarity and length.
Capital B Atlanta: Why did you start Da Greek Spot?
Ashanti Johnson: When I was a freshman, when everybody crossed around me, a light bulb had hit me on my head: Carrollton has nothing for D9.
I started a business out of my dorm room. I was selling army fatigue pants and stuff like that. So my shop was always called “Da Spot,” but when I came to Atlanta, I put “Greek” in the middle of it.
I started embroidering in 2020, 2021. I wanted to differentiate myself, because the problem is with D9, we’re only allowed to buy from licensed manufacturers. And so if you’re only buying from licensed manufacturers, and there’s three licensed manufacturers, everybody ends up having the same stuff.
How did you learn embroidery?
I bought these embroidery machines, and then I didn’t know how to do graphics. I bought printing machines. I don’t know nothing about graphics. But then God came up with ChatGPT and all sorts of good stuff, and I’m a little bit better than I was at the start.
This year when I first moved in [my shop], movers broke my machine. I had to talk to other people, other embroidery shops. I talked to the right person with this other embroidery shop and he showed me a skill. It’s a skill I have now where I can make a leather jacket. I can make all kinds of things I wasn’t able to make before.
How did your upbringing influence your business?
My father is an artist, so I sold his art prints out of my dorm. I was selling his art prints because everybody had blank dorm rooms.
My mom was a quilter and worked at the High Museum. They bought like three of her quilts before she passed away. Marquetta Johnson. My mom, her grandma, and then my father, everybody around me was creating stuff. So I was like, let me try to create.
Are you a D9 member?
So what I’ve learned in business, regardless whatever it is, you have to have something that grabs people’s hearts, and then people can tell if you’re true. I have appreciation for fraternities and sororities. I’m just not one.
One thing I’m especially proud of is how long I’ve been able to serve the Greek and HBCU community and how much of the business has grown through repeat customers and word of mouth.
What has the reception in Atlanta been like with your business?
I just did AKA NU Beta’s T-shirts at Georgia Tech. Last year when the Deltas at Spelman, Eta Kappa, when they came out, they all came and bought their black ringer tees from me.
I’m like number one on Google. If you Google “Greek paraphernalia in Atlanta,” I’m popping up. What happens is when people come to Atlanta, [people] hit Google, and come see me. They’ll [travel] here. They do it all the time.
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