Eastside Golf has opened its first U.S.-based retail store at Terminal A, Gate 34 in the McNamara Terminal at Detroit Metropolitan Airport in Romulus.
Operated in partnership with Paradies Lagardère, a leader in travel retail and the operator of PGA TOUR Shops, the Eastside Golf store offers a curated selection of the brand’s apparel and accessories, including its signature Swingman sweatshirts, tracksuits, performance polos, and bucket hats.
Founded by former Morehouse College golf teammates Olajuwon Ajanaku and Earl Cooper, Eastside Golf has partnerships with Jordan Brand, the NBA, MLB, and major U.S. retailers.
“I came up with the idea for Eastside Golf while I was working in finance in Detroit,” says Ajanaku, founder and creative director of Eastside Golf. “I remember showing Earl a sketch of our Swingman logo, and he suggested I put it on a t-shirt. I did, and I was stopped so many times while I was walking around Detroit by people asking where I got this shirt.
“At that point, I knew there was something there and Eastside Golf was born. With that history, it just feels right to open our first store here.”
Cooper, co-founder of Eastside Golf, who was born in Flint, became the first-ever black PGA Teaching Professional at the Detroit Golf Club.
“To be able to open our first store in a city that has so much meaning for both Olajuwon and me feels like a full circle moment for our brand,” says Cooper
Earlier this year, Eastside Golf announced partnerships with Nordstrom, Golf Galaxy, DICK’S Sporting Goods, and House of Sport, while continuing to expand its presence in streetwear and golf pro shop locations.
The company, which was founded in 2019, also operates a retail store in Tokyo in partnership with High Draw.
The opportunity to open a store at Detroit Metro Airport came about after Eastside Golf products launched in PGA TOUR Shops in 2024, and quickly became a top-selling brand. Its success has led to a presence in 10 PGA TOUR locations, and now the first-ever U.S. standalone store.
“Eastside Golf transcends culture, music, streetwear, and golf, creating clothing that appeals to both golfers and non-golfers alike,” says Aaron Bonham, senior vice president and chief merchandising officer at Paradies Lagardère.
“We saw how well the brand was selling in our partner stores, and it was a natural evolution to partner with them to open their own retail location. As golf continues to gain more cultural relevancy and credibility, we anticipate this store will perform incredibly well and look forward to expanding our partnership through our PGA TOUR Shops and future Eastside Golf locations.”
Eastside Golf’s signature swingman logo of a young black man dressed in a sweatshirt and jeans with a gold chain around his neck and a club in mid-backswing, is meant to convey that people can bring their “authentic self” to the game of golf with full confidence.
For more information, visit eastsidegolf.com/.
