BERLIN – Quality apparel. Simple designs. Superior customer service.
For Founder Steve Cooper, that’s what makes his new lifestyle apparel brand, OCMD Life, unique.
Earlier this year, Cooper launched a new apparel company featuring designs that embody the character of Ocean City.
“I wanted to create apparel that people would be proud to wear all the time,” he said.
Cooper, a small business owner based in Lewes, Del., said he began OCMD Life earlier this year, when businesses were mandated to close in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Like a lot of people, when the coronavirus came it shut things down for me, so I had to evaluate what I could possibly do with my business, which wasn’t really much because I was in a growth period with that …,” he said.
Cooper said he soon began exploring other business opportunities. It was this research, he said, that led him to an available domain name for OCMD Life.
“I started researching online apparel,” he said. “I thought, ‘Let’s just try it. I have time sitting at home, so might as well.’”
Cooper said he started off by launching Lewes Life, an apparel brand that celebrates the First State’s coastal town. From there, he introduced OCMD Life.
“I’ve been in this area about 18 years,” he said. “I grew up in Maryland. So I know what Ocean City’s about, I know what Maryland’s about, and even the Delmarva lifestyle. Those beginning months I just spent researching that more and getting a feel for it and connecting with other people online.”
In those earlier months, Cooper said he developed a logo and created designs that capture the spirit of Ocean City. Images featured on OCMD Life apparel include the hard shell crab, a surfboard and a marlin.
“We try to keep it fashionable and simple,” he said.
Cooper noted OCMD Life sells T-shirts, hoodies and hats for men, women and children, as well as stickers, travel mugs, bags and framed photographs taken by Cooper himself.
“We are even going to do custom socks, which is something I thought would be fun to do,” he said.
Unlike the T-shirts sold around the resort, Cooper described OCMD Life apparel as clean and simple.
“We’re really trying to bring a lifestyle vibe to Ocean City with clean, quality apparel,” he said.
Cooper also credits his wife, Alex, for helping him with some of the designs.
“Part of the reason why my designs are simple is because that’s how I am,” he said. “But I need a woman’s touch on some of this stuff too, so she helps with that.”
Items from OCMD Life are sold exclusively online, but Cooper said he is open to exploring partnerships with local retailers in the future.
For more information, visit www.ocmdlife.com or any of the company’s social media pages. Shipping is free for purchases over $50, and those who sign up with an email address will receive 10% off the first order.
“We definitely take pride in the quality we have, our designs, as well as our service too …,” Cooper said. “If there is an issue, we will get it taken care of as soon as possible.”
