'Milwaukee Rag': Latino brothers share how they started their own apparel shop nearly a decade ago

 

MILWAUKEE, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Two brothers, who came to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, from Guadalajara, Mexico, opened up about starting their own business nearly a decade ago.

Miguel and Francisco Aguilar are the masterminds behind 'Milwaukee Rag'--a family-owned and operated screen-printing shop that creates cool graphics for clothing apparel related to the city, culture, or anything a client requests.

"It’s passion, the second one is the money, but the feeling is when the people say 'I love my shirt, I love it, you helped for my idea,' I’m feeling good,” said Francisco Aguilar.

It's likely you've seen some of their merchandise around the city--at festivals, or even local businesses.

The Aguilar brothers moved with their families to Milwaukee in 2000--like most immigrants, they came in search of a better life.

"You open the doors, no the door is open for you, no, you open the doors," exclaimed Francisco Aguilar.

They said it wasn't easy juggling work while learning English.

"First, I finished my GED, I take some computer classes...and after that I got to the graphic design," explained Miguel Aguilar.

“I finished my GED over here at MATC but my mother don’t have money for college,” Francisco Aguilar added.

They expressed how education isn't solely acquired through a college degree--the Aguilar brothers pushed themselves to continue learning from those around them.

Eventually, their basement hobby became a real-world company.

In 2013, they registered--with a fake company name-- to take part in the 'DAX' Expo, also known as the 'Decorated Apparel Trade Show' in Chicago to learn more about the screen-printing industry.

"So he won a thousand dollars, he said 'nah this is not serious,' no, yes, it’s serious, so they take a picture with the big check, so, OK you got a thousand dollars to spend it on the convention in whatever you need,” Miguel recalled.

They had two hours to spend their prize on basic supplies and before they knew it, in 2014 they actually gave their vision a shot and got their first order.

"It was $600 for the order, and we rent this space, so we got $600 just for the rent and the deposit, and we’re thinking we got one month to find the other $600,” he added.

Francisco Aguilar said they learned to invest. At the time, they paid $6,000 for a press machine he called 'Frankenstein' because its parts were made out of junk.

"When that one print 2000 shirt(s) for May 1st, for 'Voces de la Frontera,' 2000 T-shirts, when I see 2000 T-shirts printed for us in the news, I cried and every month paying the press,” he said.

Just four years after they launched, the Bucks called them up to collaborate on a logo for their 'Noche Latina' or "Latin Night.'

"We were so happy to represent, in a way, the Latino community within a basketball game, we were ecstatic, we made them an offer, they approved it, we printed, and they sold or were given out at the game," Miguel Aguilar said in Spanish.

A design can take anywhere from days to weeks, and even months at a time. They never rush the process and always draw inspiration from their identity and the city they call home.

"Dreams can come true, be it in this land or in another place, if and when you don't stop dreaming and working hard, it is possible," Miguel Aguilar expressed in Spanish.