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Paralympic goodies attracting buyers
By Brady Snyder
Deseret News staff writer
On the corner of 300 West and South Temple, across from where Salt Lake's giant Olympic Superstore once was, sits a small mobile trailer where a lone employee peddles Paralympics merchandise.
It's a lonely job, especially in Wednesday's rain, and the trailer is a far cry from the superstore, which regularly boasted 30-minute lines and a large staff.
"Customers? There really aren't that many," says the solitary worker.
But this shack isn't indicative of how merchandise has been selling during Salt Lake's 2002 Paralympics.
In fact, sales are exceeding the expectations of Paralympics planners, and many items have been reordered due to high demand.
T-shirts with the slogan, "Mind, Body and Spirit," have been going fast, and "anything with (Paralympics mascot) Otto on it has been going great," said Lou Lauria, the Salt Lake Organizing Committee's liaison with merchandise supplier Concept Sports Inc.
"They're pretty happy with the way things are going," Lauria said.
Otto stuffed dolls have been so hot that official stores, like the one downtown and the three at Paralympics venues, have sold out. The only place you can buy a stuffed Otto — if you're lucky — is at Smith's grocery stores, which have a few left, Lauria said.
"Generally, for the most part, they're gone," Lauria said.
It's unlikely any more stuffed Ottos will turn up before the Paralympics end, since the turnaround time to bring them to Salt Lake City is too great, Lauria said.
The official Paralympics store is open until March 16. It is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.
E-MAIL: bsnyder@desnews.com
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March 14, 2002
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