Bama gear is selling fast in Selma
Published 9:48 pm Saturday, January 5, 2013
It seems that Alabama merchandise is selling quickly around downtown Selma.
Stores around town selling University of Alabama gear are seeing an uptick in sales on those items in preparation for the BCS National Championship Monday.
“[Sales on Alabama items] have been real good. All season long they’ve been real good,” said Buddy Swift, owner of Swift Drug Co. “And of course we have some Auburn stuff, but needless to say it hasn’t sold very well this year. But the Alabama stuff, we’ve had a hard time keeping it in stock.”
Swift said Bear Bryant hats, scarves and anything houndstooth has sold well, especially in the week before the championship game.
“Oh yea, in fact I was really low on stuff until a guy came today and restocked me,” Swift said.
Swift Drug Co. is stocked with car magnets, pins, earrings, necklaces, houndstooth bracelets, bags and more, Swift said.
“We’ve had some duffle bags and some houndstooth purses that have sold real well. The toboggans have sold well too; we’ve had a hard time keeping those in stock,” Swift said. “Anything Alabama has been hot this year — hotter than I can ever remember it.”
Swift noted they aren’t selling any Notre Dame gear, and that no one has come in asking for it.
“We need to win,” Swift said. “I hope we win anyway, but I certainly hope we win on account of the merchandise aspect.”
Pilcher-McBride Drug Co. is also seeing their Alabama gear fly off the shelves.
“We did have a full wall of Alabama stuff, but it’s getting rather bare,” said Christy Rushing, pharmacy technician.
Rushing said t-shirts and car tags seem to be the items fans are gravitating towards most in the days before the big game.
“Our t-shirt [sales] have been booming,” Rushing said. “Actually we have a man here buying a Bama shirt right now — Kyle Dildy, he’s buying his wife an Alabama shirt.”
Both Pilcher-McBride Drug Co. and Swift Drug Co. said they still have Alabama gear available for fans to purchase before the game.
“If we win, we’ll restock next week,” Swift said.