Vancouver 2010: Support Canadian Athletes With Red Mittens!
As of the first week of December 2009, 1-million pairs of red mittens have been sold. VANOC expects to well exceed 2-million in sales by the time the Games end. Canadians are smitten with mittens. Specifically, those ubiquitous red Olympic mittens that, not so long ago, seemed to be everywhere. Now, they are virtually sold out from coast to coast. The toasty hand-wear, costing just $10, has become the “it” gift for Christmas, bigger than Beanie Babies. At the Bay and Zellers stores across the country where the mittens are marketed, most days you can’t snare a pair for love or money. Dana Hall, director of the Bay’s flagship store in downtown Vancouver, says the craze for the red mitts is like nothing she’s seen in 35 years of retailing. When new shipments arrive, there are mob scenes. “We don’t even get time to take the mittens out of the box. People start swooping and surrounding them like piranhas,” Ms. Hall said. “Some take the whole box, 48 pairs. Manufacturers can’t make them fast enough. It’s crazy. It’s wonderful.” In a sure sign that demand has exceeded supply, numerous listings for the mittens, emblazoned with a white maple leaf and the Olympic rings, are posted on eBay and Craigslist. One hopeful in suburban Surrey is seeking as much as $250 for his prized pair. This week, the downtown Bay store had mittens available – briefly – only on Sunday and yesterday, before they were snapped up by frenzied buyers. The rest of the time, shelves have been empty. “We’re …
