Home, Salty Home—There’s No Place Like New Scotland

Tall ships, strolls down the harbour and having the friendliest neighbourhood Maritimers around makes it hard to consider any other place “paradise.” As Scott Saccary backpacked around the world, it dawned on him how proud he was to be a Nova Scotian. The rest is the making of a business.

The Saccary Brothers, Kevin and Scott, wanted to share their homeland love with everyone around them, because they knew no matter where they went, their hearts would always be home. The New Scotland Clothing Company is a way to give everyone a chance to bring a slice of home everywhere they go. Whether you’re teaching in Thailand, backpacking through Europe or taking a beach vacation to Cuba, one of the New Scotland tees is a perfect thing to show off during your travels. It’s a way to keep your old traditions alive as you create new ones.

New Scotland Clothing Company's Scott and Kevin Saccary: brothers, curlers, entrepreneurs, CUA members.

“Scott and I came up with the idea at the pool table in my basement,” says Kevin Saccary. “Since it was an idea, and we didn’t have a lot of proven sales, we had a few but not a lot, it was hard to get a loan even for a smaller amount for inventory.” The brothers needed to get the cash flow started, and CUA (Credit Union Atlantic) took the risk.

“The Nova Scotia Small Business Loan Guarantee Program made possible a line of credit of $15,000 to work with. It helped us pay for inventory, marketing and the wages we needed to pay,” says Kevin. It was easy to work with CUA. Their company account manager, Bryan Richard, got back to them right away and he saw what the small company needed. It was comforting to work with someone local who understood the process, and who was constantly there for them.

The brothers started selling their logo at Alderney Market, and people were instantly drawn to the idea of representing their home province. Even tourists were attracted to showing off their Maritime love, and were willing to take this love back to their home. There’s no ideal buyer–everyone can be a New Scotland patriot.

Soon, they “went from a Rubbermaid container down at the market to three shops,” says Scott Saccary. New Scotland Clothing Company grew with the help of CUA and their operations loan. The brothers have been back to see CUA three times in the last two years. They’re constantly getting new business ideas, and wanting to expand. With CUA, it’s easy to dream big.

The brothers aren’t afraid to give you the good stuff. CUA gave them the chance to change over most of their line from imported clothing to “made in Nova Scotia” by partnering with Stanfield’s in Truro within the first four months of business. Their customers get the quality of the materials and receive top-notch clothing while proudly supporting their local economy when they wear New Scotland clothing.

Scott and Kevin show their passion for their people through their specially-made tees for a cause that hits home: The MS Society. “I have MS myself and I wanted to give back to that charity and bring awareness,” says Kevin. “I want to show how it affects different people, and how the symptoms are very different.” New Scotland Clothing Company donates $20 from each shirt that they sell. They’ve already sold this promotion out once and are nearing another product sell-out.

They owe a lot of their success to the support they’ve received from the curling community. Kevin and Scott are both competitive curlers, and the New Scotland Clothing Company originally started as an idea to make curling apparel to represent Nova Scotia’s curling team. For the first three years that was their plan, but their friends had bigger plans for them.

“Curling is a big part of us. I’m on the board of directors for the Dartmouth Curling Club, and we’ve been in the community for 25 years—since we were eight and 10,” says Kevin. “They were the ones who were supporting us before the public knew who we were, and supporting the brand. We got out there because of them.” Kevin and Scott still continue to work with and sponsor junior kids teams in Nova Scotia, and have even sponsored the Scottish Olympic team in the past.

“When I first saw someone wearing our logo, it was such a surreal moment. We’ve grown so much, and now we ship all over the world right here from Dartmouth. It’s getting out there,” says Kevin. With all of the word of mouth, and huge amount of support, they’ve gone back to CUA in the last four months to open a new location on the waterfront. The brothers needed some capital to buy their shipping container storefront, and CUA helped them with that.

The ideas are never-ending for these business owners, and so are the opportunities. Scott and Kevin are currently talking to CUA about another business venture in creating the New Scotland Brewing Company, and it’s getting more serious now. The brewery has been in the works for two years, with a registered business name and all. Soon, you’ll be able celebrate New Scotland the right way: with some Nova Scotia swag and a cool local brew.

This content has been developed and paid for by CUA, without involvement from The Coast’s editorial department.