Be a Good Person Celebrates a Decade in Business—and Its Message Still Rings Clear

“Be A Good Person.”

The four words beamed out from a brick wall on the side of a gym in the Golden Triangle. They were big and bold—in size, in color, and in meaning.

When I first saw them, back in 2017, I thought they were a joyful message of positivity from one of the city’s many talented street artists. I was half right. The mantra is admirable. And it was painted by local creatives. But the team behind it was actually a nascent Denver brand aiming to promote kindness via a straightforward slogan and a clothing line.

Be A Good Person (BAGP) started in 2015 as an idea for a high school art class. Founders Darian Simon and Julian Donaldson created square stickers that featured the four words in a stacked design. That eventually grew into a full line of hoodies, hats, shirts, accessories, and more for adults and children. BAGP’s first brick-and-mortar opened in RiNo in 2016.

“​​They were thinking of ways to create a positive environment and build out a community that could hopefully impact Colorado and, later, the world,” says CEO Drick Bernstine, who is also Simon’s stepbrother. In May, the brand celebrates a decade in business. At a time when small businesses are facing growing uncertainty, the accomplishment is even more pronounced.

Though the company maintains the same mission, it has expanded considerably since its early days. BAGP has released collections with international brands like Lululemon, collaborated on special designs with the Denver Broncos, and just debuted playoff wear for the Denver Nuggets and Colorado Avalanche (available at Ball Arena). There are now two physical BAGP stores, in RiNo (a different location than the original) and, as of September 2024, at Park Meadows in Lone Tree. And the brand hosts and partners on a wide variety of events, from fitness classes to art shows.

That’s not to say the company hasn’t faced challenges. In a cruel twist of fate, Simon and his girlfriend, Isabella Thallas, were randomly shot on a Ballpark sidewalk while walking their dog in 2020. Thallas was killed in the attack. While the senseless violence might inspire bitterness in some, Simon never strayed from the mission at the heart of BAGP: building community around an uplifting, universal theme. “One of the things that is a blessing and a curse is we try to create products for everybody—not having an age demographic, not having a gender demographic,” Bernstine says. “Figuring out how to keep the brand fresh but also not keep it exclusive. Make it an inclusive brand.”

One way BAGP models that is through philanthropy. The company has helped raise close to $3 million for Make-A-Wish Colorado. They created a special California design with some of the proceeds supporting the Los Angeles area during the January wildfires and have used other sales to hire Denver artists to paint more murals across the Mile High City (including this epic basketball court in Curtis Park). “We’re just trying to support our local partners and bring light to local creatives and local businesses in all the ways that we can,” Bernstine says.

BAGP is also looking inward and working to become more sustainable. With its latest Lululemon collaboration—an evergreen lineup that dropped this spring and showcases BAGP’s signature stacked logo on black fabric—the brand is continuing to fine-tune its preorder system. The strategy is gaining popularity as it allows businesses to save money and reduce their environmental footprint by cutting down on excess production, but it’s also less timely for customers who are used to instant gratification and two-day delivery.

So what else is on the agenda for the next decade?

Global domination. Or a softer version of that, at least. Bernstine wants customers to connect over the BAGP message in different states and countries. In the less-distant future, expect a 10th anniversary collection to release this month (Bernstine will only reveal that it has “vintage vibes”), as well as more new designs and creative collaborations. “The T-shirt is an inward message as well as an outward message,” he says. “Being good to yourself is just as important as being good to the people who surround you and that you come in close proximity to.”

That’s a lot of responsibility to lay on four short words. But the message seems to be getting across.