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Superstore Open For Business
The Olympic Games are still almost two months away, but the best place in town to buy Olympic merchandise is already up and running.
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(Dec. 15, 2001)------ The Olympic Superstore opened Saturday, and judging by the crowds, it'll be a popular destination in February.
Christmas shopping was on a lot of to-do lists and a huge tent full of Olympic merchandise brought a lot of those shoppers downtown.
The superstore has just about everything Olympic you can imagine...and a whole lot more.
Sammy Linebaugh takes a look at opening day.
The place was pretty packed Saturday with locals and a lot of out-of-town shoppers. England, Australia, Germany--
the common theme though, seemed to be Christmas.
"I'M FROM PHOENIX AND I'M BUYING CHRISTMAS PRESENTS FOR THE KIDS AND GRANDKIDS."
"THE DUTCH OVENS. I CAME DOWN TO GET THE DUTCH OVENS."
"SOCKS FOR THE KIDS BACK HOME IN AUSTRALIA, AND MASCOTS FOR MY NIECES."
They've come from far and near, looking for that perfect gift.
Pins...
"SNOWBOARD PIN. OH, WE'VE GOT A SNOWBOARD PIN HERE TOO."
"DEFINITELY THE AMERICAN FLAG PIN. THAT'S MY FAVORITE."
All-weather mascot gear...
"I'M A BIG POWDER FAN MYSELF. I JUST GOT COPPER. I LIKE COAL, HE'S BIG AND CUDDLEY."
And how about tattoos...one of the Sydney Olympic Games' hottest sellers.
Lori Nelson/Resident of Salt Lake City: "I HAVE LOTS OF NIECES AND NEPHEWS THAT WOULD LOVE TO PUT THEM ON THEIR FACES."
Gary March/Olympic Superstore Designer: "THEY WERE A HUGE HIT IN SYDNEY. I THINK WE SOLD 65-THOUSAND PACKETS OF AUSTRALIAN TATTOOS IN THE FIRST THREE DAYS."
The Olympic Superstore opened with no shortage of customers, and a live appearance from some special guests.
Gary March: "STARTING NEXT WEEK WE'LL HAVE PERFORMERS HERE ON A REGULAR BASIS, WE'LL HAVE ATHLETES HERE."
Some are already here in image.
The posters with winter athletes hanging around the red rock, for some, really say Utah.
Kay Williams/Visitor from London: "THEY'RE A MIX OF UTAH, WHICH IS KIND OF THIS BEAUTIFUL SCENIC PLACE AND THEN YOU'VE GOT THESE SKIERS. I'M JUST LOOKING AT IT GOING, 'WOW.'"
Between now and the Games, organizers hope the superstore will become a one-stop shop for official Olympic merchandise along with mini-stores set up at competition venues.
Mark Lewis/SLOC: "WHAT WE'LL DO THERE IS FEATURE HAVING EVENT SPECIFIC MERCHANDISE, SO SOMETHING YOU CAN ONLY FIND AT THE FIGURE SKATING VENUE. BUT THIS PLACE WILL HAVE THE MOST BY FAR."
And that suits these shoppers, just fine.
"IT'S WONDERFUL. LOOK, IT'S EVERYTHING."
The store is right across from the Delta Center to the West, and the Medals Plaza to the North. So it's inside Olympic Square and really will be at the center of celebrations during the Games.
A place to come inside and get warm.
