Draft:Steel City Brand

Steel City is an apparel retailer based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was founded in 2011 by Brandon and Carly Grbach. The store is best known for retailing graphic t-shirts based on Pittsburgh sports, landmarks, and history.

History
After dropping out of college in 2004, Pittsburgh graphic designer Brandon Grbach taught himself Adobe Photoshop and started designing t-shirts for a friend’s small business. When that business shut down, he and then-girlfriend Carly co-founded their own apparel brand in 2011 with Brandon helming design. They named the brand Steel City, after the popular nickname given to the city of Pittsburgh.

In addition to e-commerce, Steel City apparel has been sold in-person at local events, trade shows, and craft fairs. The brand quickly gained popularity in Pittsburgh as well as U.S. cities with an industrial background; customers expressed interest in designs inspired by vintage sportswear and a blue collar aesthetic. In 2016, Steel City opened its first retail location in downtown Pittsburgh. They currently operate three brick-and-mortar stores in the region.

Partnerships
Steel City has sold apparel designed in partnership with high-profile Pennsylvania businesses and charities. Examples include Eat’n Park restaurant, Fred Rogers Productions, the Mario Lemieux Foundation, and the Heyward House (founded by Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Cameron Heyward).