Pure Detroit becomes overnight success

DETROIT – With one ice bucket challenge video, Pure Detroit has become an overnight success after 16 years.

Pure Detroit manufactures the Detroit City T-shirt that went viral after its cameo in Ben Affleck's ice bucket challenge video. And thanks to that slice of publicity the shirts are sold out at more than one of Pure Detroit's locations.

Sean Santo created Pure Detroit with the goal to sell Detroit stuff, made by Detroit artists and bring some value back to the city.

Now, all her hardwork has paid off.

"I think Sean really believes that it's a message through a shirt. That's a way that we're trying to communicate and spread a message of building the city through cultural cachet and also building it thought smart urban planning," said Pure Detroit's Artistic Director Ryan Hooper.

They are currently printing 500 shirts that are scheduled to be shipped out Thursday. Many shirts have already been shipped to places like Arizona, New York, Los Angeles, and all throughout the state.


About the Authors:

Paula Tutman is an Emmy award-winning journalist who came to Local 4 in 1992. She's married and the stepmother of three beautiful and brilliant daughters. Her personal philosophy in life, love and community is, "Do as much as you can possibly do, not as little as you can possibly get away with".