Former Modell's owner closes week-old Knicks T-shirt site after cease-and-desist

The site went offline Wednesday after the current owner sent a cease-and-desist letter. The former owner told a reporter he started the site shortly after the Knicks won an NBA championship. He said he removed the site and launched a replacement called mitchymos.com that sells shirts tied to U.S. soccer and Philadelphia.

Cease-and-desist letter The current owner, through Omni Retail Enterprises, accused the former owner of trademark infringement and unfair competition. The letter also stated that the former owner had violated a non-disclosure agreement. The former owner, whose great-grandfather founded the business in 1889, attempted to buy the brand back in 2024 and again late last year.

Talks in the second round reached a tentative $1 million price plus equity before ending in June.

Modell's filed for bankruptcy in 2020 and closed its 140 stores. The brand now operates only as an e-commerce business. The current owner said last week that the most recent purchase talks collapsed because the former owner did not meet agreed terms. The current owner declined to comment on the website closure.