Grady Baby Company and Apparel co-owner Terrence Albritton is frustrated by what has been a near year-long legal battle with one of Atlanta’s largest hospitals. “We’re still fighting them but our overall goal is to work together,” Albritton told The Atlanta Voice about the family company’s licensing fight with Grady Health System during a recent interview.
“Here we are a small family business that started in our basement and we are fighting to preserve a legacy for our children,” Albritton said.
Grady Baby Company and Apparel, best known for their “We Full” hoodies and t-shirts and positive pro-Black and pro-Atlanta messaging, applied for the trademark in 2018 and received it in 2022, according to documents shared with The Atlanta Voice.
Since March 2023, the two companies have been in a fight for the name “Grady Baby”, which is used most often as a localism for people born and raised in Atlanta and born at what is now the only Level 1 trauma center in Atlanta following the closure of Atlanta Medical Center by parent company Wellstar Health System. Grady Hospital, a 131-year-old public hospital located downtown and one of the largest hospitals in the state, filed a pair of trademark lawsuits in the U.S. District Court Monday, March 6, 2023.
A civil case, the lawsuits are against Grady Baby Apparel LLC and Grady Baby Company and Apparel LLC, and claim trademark infringement for the popular and commonly used phrase “Grady Baby.”
Albritton believes the two companies coming to the table to discuss their issues would better serve the overall goal for each. Thus far it has only been lawyers talking for the two sides and it has gotten expensive, says Albritton.
“This is still going on and what they are trying to do is bankrupt us,” he said. Grady Baby has started a fundraising effort to help with the mounting legal fees. Albritton hopes there’s an end in sight, but there is little proof that Grady Hospital feels the same way.
“Enough fighting, I want to work together,” he said.