Next Doors

STATE FORTY EIGHT IS MAKING ARIZONA COOL

And Doing Much, Much More

Let’s face it — Arizona doesn’t always have, um, the best reputation on the national scene.

We’re still considered a growing state, with a lack of identity. People in other regions think everyone rides around on horseback, or everyone is retired, or that we lack our own sense of style and culture. And we — how shall I say this politely? — tend to occasionally make decisions that don’t put our state in the best light.

But three guys from the East Valley are trying to change that, one T-shirt at a time. And they’re doing so in a way that’s giving back not only to our sense of state pride and general

coolness, but to our community as well.

The idea sprung from an investment of $500 each and maybe a little chip on a shoulder or two.

“It always bugged me that we were the weird ones, being Cardinals fans in a town where so many people are from somewhere else, and not having anything representing our state in a cool and fashionable way,” said State Forty Eight co-founder Michael Spangenberg.

He and State Forty Eight’s other two cofounders, brothers Stephen and Nicholas Polando, shared not only an apartment

back in 2013, but a love of cool clothing. They found a brand in Detroit that played on civic pride, and thought to themselves, why don’t we have anything like that here?

“Stephen created the name while he was brushing his teeth, and Nick is a designer who threw out a couple of ideas for a logo, including the one we have now,” Spangenberg said. “Then anywhere we could go — trunk shows, whatever — we would do it, just to get our name out.”

The name stuck, as did the brand. Now State Forty Eight is entering the realm of the ubiquitous. Their partnership with the Arizona

Diamondbacks going into this season — with the Diamondbacks coming off the playoffs last year, and starting strong so far — has raised the company’s profile. So has their work producing shirts in support of the state’s schoolteachers and their efforts to improve teacher compensation and school funding.

Today, that $500 investment from each of the three is a company approaching $1 million in sales overall — and could eclipse $1 million in sales this year alone. But there’s more to it than just sales.

State Forty Eight has also found innovative ways to support Valley nonprofits and