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After Salvatore Aiello included the lyric "don't be afraid of Detroit" in one of his band's songs in 2013, he decided to take a risk and print the phrase on several t-shirts. In short time, friends and family snapped them up.
Since then, Aiello, who was born and raised in the city, has plastered the phrase on T-shirts, tank tops, laptop and bumper stickers, baseball caps, key chains, rubber wristbands and more.
He sells them on his website and at Eastern Market on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. He says he's also currently searching for a storefront.
"We try to point out some good things and good people and good stuff about the city of Detroit," Aiello said. "I like to think of people who wear our shirts as positive soldiers, because usually soldiers have a weapon but we carry this positive message about not being afraid."
In recent years, Detroit-based clothing brands such as Detroit vs. Everybody and Detroit Hustles Harder have exploded in popularity. Aiello said he hopes to have a similar success story, though he says he will only sell his merchandise in retail stores within city limits.
"We're all championing a fantastic city...but this isn't just saying 'I'm from Detroit' and it's not just saying 'we hustle'," he said. "This is saying 'don't be afraid of my city, don't be afraid of coming here.'"
Aiello sat down the other day with Deadline Detroit's Annabel Ames at the Urban Bean Co. at Grand River and Griswold in downtown Detroit to discuss his business. Aiello, who plays in the band Kung Fu Lovers, also played a song on his guitar for us while wearing virtual reality goggles.
