A NYC Kid features clothes for NYC lovers

A NYC Kid is a store full of nostalgic New York City gear.  Owner Ty Thomas is from the Bronx and wants to share her love of the city with the masses.     

Ashley Mastronardi

Feb 21, 2024, 1:04 AM

Updated 234 days ago

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The bacon egg and cheese is a New York staple - and now it’s the inspiration for a clothing line. 
A NYC Kid is a store full of nostalgic New York City gear.  Owner Ty Thomas is from the Bronx and wants to share her love of the city with the masses.     
“My son was 7 or 8 he was ordering a bacon egg and cheese at our local bodega...and I thought to myself wow, he’s creating memories for himself just as I did growing up in the Bronx ordering a butter roll...so I thought how cool would it be to create merch that New Yorkers can resonate with?” Thomas told News 12 New York. 
And four years later – the bacon, egg and cheese T-shirt was born.  It’s fittingly packed up in aluminum foil.  But that’s not the only New York City staple served-up in this Harlem pop-up shop.  There’s even a shirt inspired by chopped cheese.  And remember those Linden Butter Crunch cookies served in New York City public schools?  Yeah, there’s merch for that, too.  But food is just a part of the fun. 
“We have phrases like ‘Dear tourist, I’m glad you’re here, walk faster,’ anyone can relate to that growing up, living in New York.  Or 'Thank You for Hustling Today,' because New York is all about the hustle and bustle and it’s always quoted by a NYC kid,” Thomas added. 
But despite the brand’s name, it’s not just for kids. 
“A NYC Kid is for everyone.  It’s for the person who lives here, for the person who grew up here, it’s for the person who loves the culture, it’s for the person who loves New York.” 
Thomas’s own kid, 14-year-old Bryton, is the inspiration behind the threads.  She says the line has gotten major play on social, and the Dope Women Come from New York shirt has even gone viral.  But ever the humble New Yorker, Bryton downplays his Harlem street cred. 
“I don’t really tell anybody really...being famous, I get awkward from it...I don’t really see me telling anybody,” Bryton said.    Thomas’s dreams for her brand extend beyond the five boroughs.  She hopes to expand to open more brick-and-mortar stores across the country.  Her pop-up in Harlem will be open through April.