Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, Detroit Council President Pro Tempore Mary Sheffield, and Kevin Johnson, DEGC President and CEO, joined Eddie and Destine Kidd, owners of GrindGrind, to celebrate the grand opening of the Detroit-based inspirational clothing brand today.
“Motor City Match is helping to bring the kinds of goods and services neighborhoods and commercial districts need to thrive and that give residents a sense of community. GrindGrind is a great example of that in the Rivertown district,” said Mayor Duggan. “Eddie and Destine have launched a brand that speaks to Detroiters and conveys the passion they have for the city where they were born and raised. We’re so glad they chose to open their business in Detroit.”
GrindGrind officially opened its doors in July 2020, but the grand opening celebration was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Though it began as an athletic apparel company, GrindGrind offers attire fit for every need — the gym, a job or a special event — with a goal to uplift and inspire others.
“GrindGrind is a testament to what Detroiters can do with determination and passion,” said Council President Pro Tempore Sheffield. “Even with the hardships small business owners often face, Destine and Eddie have continued to uplift and inspire Detroiters through their apparel brand and their commitment to entrepreneurship in Detroit.”
Located at 1805 Franklin St., GrindGrind is a MCM Round 12 cash awardee of $40,000. Owners Eddie and Destine Kidd used the funding to open their first brick-and-mortar just blocks off of Detroit’s active Riverwalk. The husband-and-wife duo said today’s official opening is a living testimony to the hard work they’ve put into creating their inspirational clothing brand and line of apparel. Born and raised in Detroit, they said they can’t imagine the location being anywhere else.
“It’s a dream come true to have a storefront in Rivertown,” said Eddie Kidd. “Through our lifestyle brand, we want to encourage others, especially Detroiters, to chase their dreams – no matter their age, race, background, or obstacle – just as we have. With their hard work and assistance, the Motor City Match team has been a blessing to our business to help us open our retail store during these unprecedented times.”
The idea for GrindGrind came to Eddie Kidd in 2013 when his mother was hospitalized with congestive heart failure and pancreatitis. Forced to leave school as a student athlete to return home and support his family, Kidd was determined to stay fit and active. He began writing “GrindGrind” on his shirts with a marker as a reminder to stay motivated and follow his dreams. He didn’t realize then that his motivational t-shirts would later become an entire lifestyle brand.
Top professional athletes can now be seen wearing the GrindGrind brand, including:
- Matthew Judon, New England Patriots
- Justin Hardee, New York Jets
- Jourdan Lewis, Dallas Cowboys
- Edmond Sumner, Indiana Pacers
- Tavierre Thomas, Houston Texans
- Devin Funchess, Green Bay Packers
GrindGrind is one of 117 open Motor City Match businesses that have received support from the program. Of those businesses, 81 percent are minority-owned, 71 percent are women-owned and 64 percent are owned by Detroit residents. The program continues to have a large and positive impact on Detroit’s small business community, including:
- 20 more MCM businesses are expected to open in 2021
- More than 1,000 jobs have been created as a result of open MCM businesses
- $9.5 million has been awarded in cash grants through MCM and Motor City Re-Store, which has leveraged $44.1M in additional investment into Detroit’s neighborhoods
- Nearly 300 additional home-based and mobile businesses have started or expanded with the help of Motor City Match
“Motor City Match continues to have a tremendous impact on Detroit,” said Johnson. “More Detroiters are on a path to economic mobility, have been given a chance to pursue their passions, and have access to goods and services in their neighborhoods. We are using all of our MCM learnings to create even stronger support for Detroit’s small business community – the heartbeat of our City.”
SBI Detroit, and its co-founder Peter Whittaker, provided a variety of business support to the Kidds. GrindGrind is also the recipient of the Michigan Small Business Survival Grant and the Michigan Small Business Restart Program, both of which were administered by DEGC.
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