Aptemal Clothing hustles harder in Eastern Market

"Detroit Hustles Harder." It's one of the great local slogans of this city's modern era. It also describes the work ethic of Eastern Market designers Aptemal Clothing, who've taken this motto to new heights in the past four years.

From a tiny, graffiti-covered storefront in Eastern Market, Division Street Boutique, the team of Joseph "J.P."  O'Grady and Brendan Blumentritt are aggressively growing their apparel line while seeking new territory for their business. Expanded summer hours means customers can swing by Division Street Boutique six days a week ( 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., Mon. thru Fri., 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays). O'Grady says business is booming, both in the store and online.

"Pittsburgh, New York, Europe ... they all buy our stuff online, all day long. Everybody loves Detroit, except the people from Detroit," he says.

Aptemal has also expanded their retailing operation, selling their gear in six different outlets from Mount Clemens to Royal Oak. One of their main summer targets is music festivals like Electronic Forest, Arts Beats & Eats and Paxahau's Movement music festivals.

But t-shirts aren't the only wares these two entrepreneurs have to sell. New collaborations mean you can soon pick up a "Detroit Hustles Harder" skateboard, or turn up the bass on June's forthcoming "Detroit Hustles Harder Vol. 2" music compilation, featuring local artists in genres as diverse as disco and hip-hop.

"Business is right on the verge of blowing up. We have a lot of collaborations that have been offered to us. it's pretty much endless. We're trying to spread it out to every medium possible -- not just t-shirts," says O'Grady. He's most excited about a new collaboration with local designer Angela McBride's "Love Peace & Spandex," expanding apparel options to the ladies.

"We're all just local kids trying to get our names out there, make some bucks and pay our rent," O'Grady says.

Source: Joseph "J.P." O'Grady, co-founder, Aptemal Clothing
Writer: Ashley C. Woods