Young Maricopans start ‘sweet’ shirt company

Two guys hanging out in a garage often become a band. Tyler Penny and Rashaud Bell became a clothing company.

Penny, 20, a 2012 graduate of Maricopa High School now working at Intel, and Bell, who is enrolled at the San Francisco Art Institute, dreamed up the Purple Candy Clothing Company while ruminating at home.

They were thinking of simple clothing with simple designs reflecting the sweet life of skateboarding, free-styling and just hangin’.

In fact, Penny said, “sweet life” is the company motto.

Purple Candy Clothing Company was launched in 2014. The name came from the same kicked-back garage sessions, Penny said. Everybody likes candy; and who doesn’t like purple?

Bell’s access to screen printing and Penny’s access to distribution portals have allowed them to create, sell and ship.

“The designs are really simple right now,” Penny said.

There are five selections of light cotton shirts – Sweet Life, First Born, TC, PC and Candy Girl. Each comes in small, medium and large sizes. All are built for comfort while skateboarding or just having fun and enjoying life.

For the moment, Purple Candy is a hobby. As far as Penny is concerned, it will move into a real business category once the revenue starts meeting the investment being put into it.

“Right now, we want to see what we can get from it and how far it can go,” he said.

Co-owner Tyler Penny
Purple Candy Clothing Company

PERSONAL
Family: Mother, grandmother
Hometown: Maricopa
Interests: Skateboarding, creating videos for a YouTube channel
Pets: Dog and cat
Car: 2015 Ford Fiesta