HOULTON, Maine — A Maine man who has worked as a bodyguard for Rihanna, Jay-Z and other globally famous celebrities is now trying to grow another business that sells his own self-invented body armor backpacks.
Houlton resident Jeffrey Maguire — who worked with multi-Grammy-winning singer Rihanna on a recent trip to California — began exploring ways to offer personal protection several years ago. With the help of a local Amish saddler, he came up with his initial body shield backpack in 2019.
Now, he has opened a retail space in downtown Houlton where he’s selling the backpacks under the brand name Mundbora Body Shields.
Maguire said that many people no longer feel safe, and the body armor bags actually create a wall between a person and an attacker. They can be customized with attachments meant to provide defense against specific threats, including gunshots and stabbings, he said.
“I witnessed a critical need for everyday individuals to be equipped to protect themselves against unforeseen dangers,” Maguire said. “Recognizing that not everyone can afford a bodyguard, I was inspired to create the Mundbora bags.”
The personal protection body armor business has become a multibillion-dollar industry not just for military, law enforcement and first responders, but for individuals as well, according to recent market research reports. Among the reasons people seek out personal body armor are concerns about high rates of gun violence, random shootings, civil unrest and cross border conflicts
