Walking into Ty Mopkins’s Suite 1701 podcast studio is like entering a Detroit sports museum. There’s a signed draft day poster of basketball legend Jalen Rose, photographs of Detroit greats Isiah Thomas and Cecil Fielder, and autographed memorabilia from sports icons Magic Johnson, Tommy Hearns, and Calvin Johnson.
“All of this came from my mancave,” Mopkins says. “None of this stuff was bought in a store or auction. It’s all from personal and business relationships.”
Mopkins is one of Detroit’s best-known tastemakers. For the past three decades he’s helped guide and curate Detroit’s fashion scene from urban apparel to sports. Mopkins acknowledges he was first influenced by his father’s fashion sense, but it was the highrollers in the neighborhood that made the strongest impression. “I grew up watching the hustlers wearing hard cardboard Levis, Adidas Top Tens, original Filas, Lottos, and Diadoras,” he says. “Those were our first role models.”
Mopkins worked at the legendary Strictly Sportswear in Detroit from 1995 to 1999, where he did everything from cleaning up the exterior of the store to deciding what apparel lines they were going to carry. “Being a part of Strictly’s was like being a part of a rock band or the Fab Five,” Mopkins says. “Anybody who was anybody at that time came through Strictly’s doors […] it was a movement that I don’t think we’ll ever see again as it relates to Black independent retail.”
After his tenure with Strictly’s he opened Hip-Hop University, which was one of the only storefronts to offer throwback jerseys. In 2010, he joined the staff at the Ypsilanti-based Puffer Reds. At that time, Puffer Reds was transitioning from being a record store to urban apparel and footwear. The timing was crucial because the “hypebeast” era was starting, where influencers and sneakerheads were doing anything to obtain the hottest sneaker releases. “Every Saturday morning was an adventure,” Mopkins says with a laugh. “Watching them grow to being known as one of the best apparel stores in the Midwest was amazing!”
A decade later Mopkins was recruited by Mr. Alan’s, another iconic Detroit retailer, with hopes that he could to change the culture within their stores. “They wanted to get away from the ‘2 for $50’ model and come into a premium lifestyle brand. Certain brands didn’t want to be associated with that,” he says.
During this same time he connected with Flint native and NFL pro-bowler Carl Banks who had just become president of Starter. Banks had been exploring ways to reignite the Starter brand and brokered a deal where Mopkins designed a series of Starter jackets sold exclusively by Mr. Alan’s. The collaboration was successful and led to several more. In 2024, the Detroit Pistons reached out to Mopkins to design a collection of apparel to celebrate the 35 anniversary of the ’89 Pistons championship team and the 20th anniversary of the 2004 Pistons championship team. The collection was titled “Thirty-Five / 20,” and Mopkins produced a commercial and hosted a series of interviews with Pistons greats. “We wanted to tell the story of Detroit basketball,” he says.
The commercial won Mopkins an Emmy Award and the series of interviews ignited his desire to start a podcast. “Back in the day we had shows like TRL, Rap City, Yo! MTV Raps, and The Arsenio Hall Show. I wanted to create an environment and a space where we could pay tribute to all of that,” he says.
The Suite 1701 podcast debuted in September. It’s hosted by Mopkins, influencer Zsa Zsa C. Hubbbard, and DJ Steady Rock. The trio discusses topics related to music, fashion, sports, Detroit, and mental health. They’ve also interviewed notable Detroiters such as MARKT’D founder Dion Walcott, Glam-Aholic LIfestyle founder Mia Ray, and Sino and DJ BJ from Detroit’s hip-hop community. The podcast is sponsored by Starter, Casamigos, Crown Royal, and 5th Avenue Furniture. Mopkins also promises that many of Detroit’s sports giants will be featured on Suite 1701 as well along with rich and inspiring content.
“Our motto is L.C.L.: ‘Laugh, Cry, and Learn,’” he says. “We touch everything but we don’t do messy topics, we don’t use profanity. We don’t clickbait, we educate.”
The Suite 1701 podcast is not the only new endeavor Mopkins is leading. He, filmmaker Dennis Reed III, and Jalen Rose have developed a series titled South West High that’s set to premiere this year. Mopkins also recently signed on to be the creative director for the Kronk apparel line. Once led by trainer Emanuel Steward, the Kronk boxing gym operated like Detroit’s fifth franchise as it birthed fighters Tommy Hearns, Milton McCrory, Hilmer Kenty, and Mickey Goodwin. On June 4, 2025, it was announced that a new Kronk gym would be opening in the historic Brewster-Wheeler Recreation Center at 670 Wilkins St. Whether film, fashion or podcasting, Mopkin is committed to producing and curating authentic Detroit content.
“We want to tell the story of our city, because for so long when it came to entertainment and fashion, Detroit was treated like a stepchild,” he says.
The Suite 1701 podcast drops every Monday at 3:13 p.m.
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