Brandon Grbach is building his T-shirt company DeadBuryDead in Braddock.

To some, DeadBuryDead (DBD) may look like just another T-shirt company. But a closer look at this unique company reveals a much deeper reason and purpose for being in business.

From the start, President and CEO Brandon Grbach wanted more for himself and more for his community. So he followed a path that was laid out by the likes of Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Steve Jobs and even Ralph Lauren.  He dropped out of college. Why?  Because he didn’t want to spend one more minute creating a future that wasn’t really his.

“I was in college because I was scared of being different. One day, in the dead of winter during my last semester of college, I laid my pencil down, stood up and walked away from a final exam,” said Grbach. “I never looked back. And not as a freshman, but as a senior.”

Like so many entrepreneurs, an inexplicable desire to create drives Grbach.  More importantly, a desire to build something he could be proud of.  Something that would allow him to wake up every morning with a sense of excitement and purpose.

So with a little inspiration and a lot of elbow grease, he launched DBD that was both unique and uniquely Pittsburgh…or Braddock.

Five years later, the brand is selling around the world. From a single design, DBD now has a full line of T-shirts in two featured collections – Signature and Classic.  DBD currently stocks boutiques in the United States, England and Japan. And it continues to stay true to the independent brand lifestyle.

“I don’t do it for the money. I do it because I couldn’t imagine doing anything else,” said Grbach. Born and raised in North Braddock, he chose to base his operations there. As home to his grandparents and extended family, Grbach witnessed first-hand the ravages of economic decline and decay.  It was a familiar storyline for industrial cities of

Pittsburgh’s river valleys. Lost buildings, lost history and lost opportunity for future generations.  What Grbach couldn’t bear to see was lost hope among those who still called places like Braddock home.

“These were the same communities that helped to forge the United States through their work in the Steel Mills,” he said.  “Now these same communities are filled with people that are in need… shoes for their kids, a suit for an interview, a warm meal or just someone to talk to.”

So DBD along with Steel City Cotton Works launched “Second Chance Pittsburgh.” The idea is to give people in the Braddock area a second chance by supporting a local clothing room through the purchase of limited edition T-shirts: www.steelcitycottonworks.com/collections/frontpage/products/braddock  & www.deadburydead.com/collections/signature-collection/products/hope

All proceeds go toward improving the facilities  and to better serve Braddock,  while allowing everyone to do their part even if its just through the purchase of a shirt.

In the process, DBD and Steel City Cotton Works have raised thousands of dollars and committed countless hours helping to spruce up the clothing room and providing hope for the people of Braddock.

Not bad for just another T-shirt company.  Learn more at secondchancepittsburgh.com or deadburydead.com.