ROANOKE, Va. – Local sports retailers are experiencing a significant surge in sales as Super Bowl excitement sweeps through the Roanoke area, with both brick-and-mortar stores and online shops reporting increased customer traffic.
Sports Haven, a Roanoke-based retailer, has seen a 20-25% increase in customer visits despite recent challenging weather conditions.
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“Especially with the snow, it’s been really nice having more people through the doors because with the weather, it’s been tough getting people out,” said Shane Parks, the store’s manager.
The store caters to fans of various NFL teams, featuring an extensive collection of merchandise from the Washington Commanders to the Philadelphia Eagles.
A notable section includes a dedicated wall displaying Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots gear.
Store Owner Robin Bennett has said he’s seeing a lot of Seahawks fans.
“When I’ve been ringing people up, I think it’s been more Seahawks fans than Patriots fans. But if Tom Brady was still playing, I think it’d be more Patriots.”
Local online retailer Jersey Fanadicts has also witnessed substantial growth in Super Bowl-related sales.
Owner and Founder Leon Sexton reports receiving approximately 50 orders in just the past two weeks, marking a significant increase from the previous year.
“Once people find out who’s in the Super Bowl, I get calls, calls, and they’re like, ‘Can you get this, can you get this?’” said Sexton.
His business model, operating for about 12 years, has built a loyal customer base through a unique approach to online jersey sales.
“What I do is I take a $20 deposit, and it’s only a deposit. When you buy it, you’re actually gonna get to see it like you bought it in the store before you pay for it,” said Sexton.
Sexton said, depending on who wins the Super Bowl, he expects to see more customers after the game.
“Probably about a week after the Super Bowl, I’ll have this year’s Super Bowl jerseys that they wore, just like the ones they wore. So whatever color they have with the Super Bowl patch on it, I’ll, I have those for, uh, to order,” said Sexton.
He expects a lot of orders if the Patriots win.