- Jun 5
- 3 min read
What started as a side hustle at local markets has led to a prime brick-and-mortar location, as Engrained Lifestyle Apparel is now bringing its high-quality, Tampa-inspired streetwear to Sparkman Wharf.
Sparkman Wharf is a premier waterfront destination within Water Street Tampa, a prestigious urban district spanning 16 downtown blocks. Gabriel Santos, founder of Engrained, never imagined he would open a storefront so quickly, or in such an ideal area.
Santos, a Tampa native, launched Engrained in 2024 while working as a physical therapy assistant (PTA). He began focusing on the business full-time in October 2025 and is now proving that hustle and community connections can foster rapid success.
“I always said that I’m not going to just open a storefront on the corner,” Santos said. “And I feel like Sparkman Wharf - it just checks all the boxes.”
Engrained’s meteoric rise is more impressive considering his journey. Santos, 36, graduated from the University of South Florida but “didn’t really know what I wanted to do.”
He subsequently returned to school to become a PTA, which paid the bills. Santos has a wife and a young daughter.
While he always had an “artistic side” growing up, Santos was more focused on playing baseball. After seven years as a PTA, he decided to unlock his long-overlooked creativity.
Santos then began researching the most efficient way to scale a business. “It’s so scary in the beginning,” Santos admitted. “You never know if it’s going to work.”
Engrained launched as an online store in May 2024. Santos began working part-time as a PTA, but was eventually laid off last October.
However, the burgeoning entrepreneur “wasn’t really upset.” Instead, he took the life-altering change as a sign to “really jump in with two feet. And here we are.”
Well, not quite. Santos needed an avenue to market his brand and build a following. He realized he could achieve both - and gather customer feedback - at local markets.
“That first year, I was basically doing anything I could get accepted into, trying to gauge which ones were a good fit,” Santos explained. “I kind of narrowed it down to a few I did really well at, and I’ve been doing those markets pretty consistently.”
The niche brand was a hit, as Santos sought to offer Tampa-focused apparel not found at big-box retailers. He described Engrained’s offerings as a cross between athletic and streetwear, with a modern twist.
Santos also noted that Engrained clothing is made with high-quality, heavyweight material that won’t degrade after years of washing. His overarching goal was to not only provide apparel that embodies Tampa culture, “but kind of elevate it to a point where it was also nicer and just different from what was out there already.”
Pop-up shop invitations arose following Engrained’s success at markets, including one at Sparkman Wharf. That led to an opportunity for a permanent storefront inside one of the complex’s popular repurposed shipping containers.
Adorned with colorful murals from local artists and home to several restaurants and shops, the repurposed shipping containers have helped Strategic Property Partners (SPP), which owns and operates the surrounding Water Street district, revitalize what was formerly Channelside Bay Plaza.
Carly Ciccati, marketing manager for SPP, said in a prepared statement that Sparkman Wharf “has always been about creating experiences that feel authentic to Tampa.” She believes Engrained, a “uniquely local” brand, will offer residents and visitors a way to connect with the city “on a more personal level.”
“The brand reflects the energy, creativity, and entrepreneurial spirit that make Sparkman Wharf such a unique destination,” Ciccati said.
Santos said it feels “incredibly meaningful” to open his first brick-and-mortar location in the “heart of the city that shaped our brand from the very beginning.” He and his wife will, for now, operate the storefront when it opens later this month.
Santos offered some advice for other up-and-coming entrepreneurs: Work hard, embrace the grind, and don’t “get caught up in the social media hype” or “compare yourself to other brands,” he said.
“The second thing is, once you’re onto something, you need to get out there,” Santos continued. “The markets, for me, were the most important part of all of this. Without the markets, exposure, and local support, it would not be a brand.”
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