Made in Fort Worth: Morgan Mercantile

In the Building a Better Future issue of Madeworthy, we sat down with Chance Morgan of Morgan Mercantile for an installment of Made in Fort Worth.

Chance and his wife Kala produce some of Fort Worth’s most creative custom printed goods and merchandise. Started in 2015, the Morgans opened their brick-and-mortar retail location in the Near Southside in 2019. Their in-house label, Panther City Provisions, is now seen on some of Fort Worth’s most influential influencers. Chance and Kala’s eye for design have elevated Morgan Mercantile from a simple print and promo company to a company that reflects the creative vibe of Funkytown.

Chance and Kala Morgan
photo credit: Nate Goins

Madeworthy: How did you get started with Morgan Mercantile?

Chance Morgan: Previous to Morgan Mercantile, I was in a band called Burning Hotels and had graduated from UTA with a BFA in Photography. As the band was winding down, I was introduced to the apparel industry and took a job as sales rep while bartending. I was always more interested in production and design, so I tried to learn everything I could about screen printing, embroidery, and niche custom manufacturing capabilities… which is what we do for our clients at Morgan Mercantile.

MW: Tell us about Panther City Provisions.

Chance: Panther City Provisions is our in-house label for our retail division of Morgan Mercantile. When we opened our brick and mortar, my wife Kala, came on as director of retail operations and runs our South Main shop. We focus on everyday goods including apparel, headwear, accessories, and home goods. We got our retail start from doing pop-ups at Arts Goggle in Near Southside and releasing an annual Fort Worth-based collection of goods, like our “Panther City” tee.

photo credit: Nate Goins

MW: Your design eye is spot on; how do you get your inspiration for design and products?

Chance: I have always been obsessed with hand lettering, sign painting, and packaging, so we use the nostalgia of classic design to guide us. We lived in Arlington Heights for a couple of years, and I would see this older gentleman with incredible style painting all the signs up Camp Bowie, so I just pulled over one day and introduced myself. Donald Clark, better known as “The Sign Man,” as his business cards states, is also one of my biggest inspirations. He cuts lines, tells stories, and enriches our community with his work and love for making old things new.

MW: The theme of this issue is “Build a Future”, how does MM help build futures for the companies and brands you work with?

Chance: We really try to just help guide all the positive things the client is currently doing and produce them into goods that you want to actually live in. Designing and developing the art is the hardest part but dialing in those special characteristics that make people truly love a brand goes beyond cool assets. At the end of the day, we are also pretty good at just making stuff cool.

photo credit: Nate Goins

MW: For business owners reading this, what is the most important item you would recommend that they have as part of their branded swag?

Chance: I think more importantly than an item, know who you want to be. If you know who you are as a brand, you’ll know who you are making goods for. If I had to choose one item, I think a cost-effective tote with a one color logo is a core piece. It’s utilitarian, accessible to most, and a noncommittal item that you can rep without having to wear it across your chest.

MW: You seem to leverage social media well. What do you think about the future of social media and the new “metaverse”?

Chance: We try to stay consistent and just focus on the things that are important to us and our community. It’s honestly one of the hardest parts of what we do, but you can’t take days off or decide when it is not a priority. I wish it wasn’t that way, but it is integral to business and our voice… not to mention Facebook/Meta Fort Worth Data Center is a long-time client.

photo credit: Nate GoinsM