Hello Detroit and the world. As you may have heard, Pure Detroit has recently been addressing a legal matter. While that’s true, we have been really busy with our four stores and three coffee shops, so we apologize that this official statement is only coming out now.

First, we thank our many customers, friends and others for their outpouring of support. There are several points we would like to communicate so our community has a better understanding of our position in this matter.

As our community knows and everyone else is learning, Pure Detroit is more than just a company with “DETROIT” in our name. Pure Detroit opened 12 years ago and has grown in Detroit from the ground up due to the support of our community. Pure Detroit has made it core to our mission to not only maintain and grow our business in Detroit, but to truly be part of the community. Pure Detroit is involved in sponsoring activities in Detroit like acoustic concerts, book readings & signings, art exhibits & commissions, fashion scholarships & mini grants, and as a sponsor for the Pure Detroit music stage at the Comerica Cityfest for seven years.

Because of our commitment to Detroit, it is not our desire to create any attention towards the legal matter that Chrysler brought to Pure Detroit. Our goal remains to address it quietly with Chrysler and to not taint the bump to the pro-Detroit sentiment that has recently transpired after Chrysler’s commercial set in Detroit.

Prior to creating Pure Detroit’s T-shirts with the City of Detroit seal and the phrase “Imported from Detroit,” we understood from our highly-regarded trademark attorney that Pure Detroit was well within its rights to produce its products.

We believe the allegations in the Complaint filed by Chrysler are unsubstantiated and involve sometimes complicated trademark laws. But we understand there are strong precedents in the laws, the courts and in the US Trademark Office that support Pure Detroit’s position that Chrysler does not have exclusive rights to the phrase “IMPORTED FROM DETROIT” because it is merely descriptive and not a protectable trademark. Pure Detroit looks forward to a quick resolution regarding the legal matter and is focused on continuing to build our small businesses in Detroit promoting products from Detroit.


Issued by Moda Group, LLC d/b/a PURE DETROIT®