If you’re a local resident or just visiting Atlanta, you may have heard of a Grady Baby. It’s the name for people born at Atlanta’s Grady Hospital, and it’s been a source of pride and placemaking for decades. That moniker is the inspiration behind Grady Baby Company & Apparel, the shop located on the Atlanta Beltline at the Eastside BeltLine Marketplace under Freedom Parkway.
Grady Baby is a must-visit destination for those looking for unique, locally-made apparel and souvenirs that capture the essence of the city and Black-owned business pride surrounding Atlanta. The shop is one of six businesses chosen for the pilot season of the BeltLine Marketplace, a program where businesses are given storefront access to the BeltLine’s more than two million visitors each year in custom shipping containers, as well as to business coaching from The Village Market, a leader in entrepreneurial training that positions Black business owners for unmatched access and economic equality.
What sets Grady Baby apart is its commitment to championing Atlanta pride … and even humor. People can buy t-shirts emblazoned with phrases like “We Full, – Atlanta,” “Black Wall Street, -Tulsa, Oklahoma,” “Atlanta -vs- Nobody (Cause Everybody Wanna be from Atlanta).” People also can find jewelry featuring the city’s skyline.
Grady Baby CEO and Founder Terrence Albritton says, “The Grady Baby brand represents the soul of a city, the heartbeat of a culture, and you don’t have to be born at Grady to wear it. Whether you’re Old Atlanta or New Atlanta even Not Atlanta, we got you.”
His love for Black culture and Atlanta pride fuels the phrases he puts on the t-shirts, which change with current events.
Albritton, who has a day job in finance, says he founded the business in his basement, in part, so that he has something to pass along to his family. His wife and all of his children work in the business. He understands the struggle that comes with owning a business, which is why he strives to further his own family’s knowledge of running a business and they are all involved in the decision-making and logistics of the brand, which is available on the BeltLine and online. By creating generational wealth for his children, he’s helping to build a long-lasting legacy that inspires others to follow their dreams.
Grady Baby’s presence in the BeltLine Marketplace also serves as a reminder of the importance of supporting and uplifting black-owned businesses. Having Grady Baby and other black-owned businesses in the BeltLine MarketPlace helps to build a stronger, more vibrant community and promotes economic equity for all.
My husband and I spoke with the owner of Grady Baby on this past Sunday (yesterday) as we scrolled down one of THEE Best sights in Atlanta. Every chance we get, my husband and I drive up from Valdosta to get a breath of fresh air. Congratulations to the “Grady Baby” family.
-Antonio and Valeka Carter