BEACHKREW CLOTHING shop talk

Young Entrepreneur Brings Lifestyle Brand

THE only way to begin is by beginning. Just as Karlee Hart did. The 23-year-old founder and owner of Beachkrew clothing puts her heart and soul into all she does. Her success the past two years can largely be attributed to believing that old adage, “if there is a will, there is a way.”

Because simply put, Karlee had the will, and then she found the way.

From a young age, Karlee knew she wanted to run a business. She was surrounded by family members who pursued similar entrepreneurship paths, so Karlee always felt a pull toward the business industry.

“My grandfather on my mom’s side owned a chicken plant business and pizza truck, and my dad started his own firm after years of experience in finance,” Karlee explained.

The Ocean City resident majored in accounting and minored in entrepreneurship at the University of Delaware, but admits her interest in business started long before that.

“Since childhood, you could find me watering my neighbor’s plants, or even selling clothes on Poshmark,” she said. “It was always just in me.”

The dream of owning a business began turning into reality in 2021, as Karlee was finishing up her junior year of college. Finding herself in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and the unsolicited down time that accompanied it, she began to recognize an opportunity to bring a business idea to life.

“I was living at home in Haddonfield at the time and started seeing a lot of trends that could have potential. There were some people down south making stylish trucker hats, and I immediately fell in love with the idea of turning it into a business,” Karlee said. “Over the next couple of weeks, I rolled right into the process, because to me, it was all or nothing.”

Eventually, hatsbykarlee was born – and this was no small feat. The designing, ironing, organizing and shipping of each product was done all on her own.

“By July of 2021 I was living in my summer beach house in Ocean City and it was clear hatsbykarlee began reaching a larger audience,” Karlee said. “The need to create a true brand with a true meaning was always on my mind.”

So that’s what she did.

Spending her time right down the street from the ocean, Karlee was set on creating a high-quality clothing brand that represented all that she loved about the beach.

“I spent most of my time during the summers in Ocean City. My mom’s side of the family always had a house, and about five years ago my parents bought one. This place has always been home to me,” Karlee said. “Being immersed in this atmosphere, I wanted my brand to not only reach those at the Jersey Shore, but anyone who appreciates the beach and all the beauty that comes with it. I was looking to create more of a lifestyle brand.”

Karlee decided to leave school prior to the fall of her senior year and bring her vision to life as the lifestyle clothing brand Beachkrew, offering sweatshirts, bottoms, T-shirts, accessories and – of course – hats.

“I ran full force at it,” Karlee said. “I quickly accepted the unknown and the inevitable – that I would not know how to do everything perfectly. All I could do was my absolute best.

“Luckily, my dad has always been the biggest supporter in chasing dreams and my mom’s faith in me never wavers,” she continued. “It makes this whole process a lot easier when you are surrounded by those who truly believe in you. Without them, none of this would have been possible.”

Initially connecting with Britney Stein, founder and owner of Spoon & Sip, Karlee was looking to wholesale her trucker hats at the shop. But as hatsbykarlee evolved into Beachkrew, showcasing her merchandise in Spoon & Sip seemed like a no-brainer, and Karlee launched her brand in the store on February 18, 2022.

“Last summer was by far the craziest time of my life,” Karlee said. “One of my TikToks went viral in April, and people started running to the store. Whenever I thought I ordered enough sweatshirts, I was proven wrong. Things were flying off the shelves.”

Calling the experience “surreal,” Karlee recognized she also needed a break from the frenzy and headed down to Charleston, South Carolina, to visit friends and family. Her short visit turned into a longer stay, so much so that the first Beachkrew storefront ended up opening down south.

“As much as I was not expecting to open up a shop in Charleston before Ocean City, it seemed like a great test run, before jumping right into a bigger project. I am so fortunate to have the most trustworthy and hardworking girls down there. It truly would not have been the success it is without them,” Karlee said.

Of course, Ocean City’s shop couldn’t be far behind, and on May 13 of this year, Karlee opened Beachkrew at 621 Asbury Avenue.

While it has been a wild, wonderful journey to get Beachkrew to where it is today, it hasn’t always been easy. But Karlee is grateful for her support system and star employees for helping her along the way.

“If I can prove to others that it is possible to pursue any dream, I am happy,” Karlee said. “You can always choose the life you want to live. All you have to do is believe and simply begin.”

- by Ava Saric

Have you shopped at Beachkrew this summer?