Kia Glenn, News and Content Media Manager for NAAGA got a chance to talk with Kirk Harris. Kirk is the owner of the Kaptain Kirk Clothing Company—the official merchandise vendor for NAAGA. They are both on the planning committee for the upcoming Leadership Conference where Kirk will have a booth set up to sell official NAAGA merchandise. Additionally, he will be there to schedule meetings with chapter leadership teams to create and launch their respective product lines.

Due to the recent increase in membership, we thought it was important for new members to get to know Kirk and familiarize themselves with the NAAGA Merchandise Online Store.

KG: Kirk, what age were you when you first handled a firearm?
KH: I had to be in the 1^st or 2^nd grade when I handled my first firearm.  Now mind you I was small and it was a rifle from Vietnam so I neither handled it well nor successfully picked it up, but I snuck and looked at it, and pulled it out of the closet regularly.

KG: Did you grow up with firearms in your home?
KH: Yes. Every home I stayed in, and probably, most of the homes I slept over as a child had a firearm of some sort in it.

KG: What is your favorite firearm and why?
KH: My favorite firearm of all time would have to be a Kalashnikov.  This is my favorite due to its durability, ease of use, and dependability.  Although this may not be the most precise tool available today, I do believe that it’s seemingly unmatched reliability will keep it at the top of my list.

KG: How did you become a member of NAAGA and what chapter do you belong to?
KH: My introduction to NAAGA began with something similar to this.  “I have something you’re going to want to look into,” said Mr Shepherd one of our reps as he proceeded to tell me about the organization.  Approximately two weeks later I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Jefferson (NAAGA National Vice President) via a course we shared together.  About a month after that I attended an NMOC and had the opportunity to meet Mr. Colin Mapp (Atlanta Chapter President).  Shortly after that I became a proud member of Bass Reeves Gun Club (Atlanta chapter).

KG: How did you get your nickname: Kaptain Kirk?
KH: Kaptain Kirk has been with me since childhood.  I would never honestly be able to give myself the title of a Trekkie, but let’s be honest: when I was a child little boys watched “Star Trek,” and I certainly fell into that category so I’m certain that played a part.  A couple of the other factors that contributed to this nickname, and to this day I’m not sure which came first, are my friends throughout little school, middle, school, and high school would always call me captain, compliments of the show. It became my way of helping others say and spell my name correctly.  To this day if some looks unsure when I tell them my name, I still use this line, “Kirk like Captain.”

KG: What inspires you?
KH: I am inspired by the visions I see for others.  My inner self gets most pumped and creative when someone shares a goal with me.  Once that goal is shared my mind immediately turns on.  Being able to help others see how they can achieve their goals inspires me in two ways. First, I get excited and energized, and second, it helps my creativity to expand and navigate into directions that it most likely would have never traveled.

KG: How did you start your company and tell us a little about your products and services:
KH: Kaptain Kirk Clothing Co was born the day I became fed up with having other men’s names plastered over my body.  On that day I said to myself, “If I’m going to have someone’s name all over my body it’s going to be mine.”  That was the day this company was born.  Kaptain Kirk Clothing Co specializes in apparel decoration which includes services such as screen printing, embroidery, and direct to garment printing.  We also offer fulfillment, drop shipping, logo development, and e-commerce management; as well as branding, marketing, and sales consulting.

KG: What is Kaptain Kirk Clothing Company’s relationship with NAAGA?
KH: We support NAAGA’s merchandising arm.  Our service to the membership’s body includes running and operating NAAGAmerch.com, as well as supplying and distributing all official NAAGA merchandise.  We also support NAAGA’s chapters with services such as drop shipping (direct to customer) and fulfillment (direct to chapter), and we’ve also been able to assist members with personal projects for their businesses and other organizations they are affiliated with.

KG: How does Kaptain Kirk Clothing Company partner with NAAGA chapters to enhance their brand and messaging in their respective cities?
KH: We are here to support NAAGA chapters with the development of cost efficient and effective logos, merchandise lines, an e-commerce presence, and any sales, marketing, branding, or retail focused advice we can offer.  Our experience in these areas allows us a wealth of knowledge and network to pull from, and sharing with our peers to help their growth, the growth of this organization, and of this movement is one of our top priorities.  Our goal is to help the NAAGA family and each individual family unit/chapter maximize its visibility and create cohesiveness, while showcasing this positive image in and around their respective communities and the world at large.

KG: What is the most sought-after item on NAAGAmerch.com?
KH: Currently the item that members across the organization are seeking and ordering the most is the NAAGA Official PVC Patch.  This item is flying off the shelves and the feedback is phenomenal.  Members are attaching their patches to their range bags, book bags, caps, jackets, and I’m sure a host of other things I haven’t yet had the privilege to see. If you are proud of your creative use of these patches or any NAAGAmerch.com gear and have or are willing to take some pics of your creativity we would love to see them and show off your ideas to other members (NAAGAmerch@gmail.com).  Also, should you need or want any assistance with basic patch attachment be sure to check out the “How To,” section at NAAGAmerch.com for instructional videos on attaching your official NAAGA PVC Patch.

KG: How can NAAGA members reach you (social media / website)?
KH: NAAGA members can reach us through NAAGAmerch.com, by email at NAAGAmerch@gmail.com, or follow us on IG @NAAGAmerch, or via FB at NAAGAmerch.  If you should have any non-related NAAGA questions please feel free to visit us at KaptainKirkClothingCo.com or contact us at KaptainKirkClothingCo@gmail.com