Fastbreak Sports scores strong year

The Battlefield Mall retailer sold 72 percent more sports memorabilia and merchandise this year during the after-Thanksgiving weekend than it did last year. In comparison, sales throughout the mall were up only about 5 percent the same weekend, according to mall Marketing Manager Christine Moses.

Fastbreak Sports’ big weekend was no fluke, either. It’s experienced double-digit gains every month this year and owner Bob Malina expects that to carry on through Christmas.

“The whole year’s just been outstanding,” Malina said. “The (St. Louis) Cardinals winning the World Series has helped a bunch. The (National Football League) is still real strong. I just don’t know if it’s the new product selection we have in or what, but everything’s just been real solid.”

The store’s monthly sales from July through November, in chronological order, have been up 29 percent, 20 percent, 58 percent, 76 percent and 78 percent, he said. October sales, for example, were about $70,000, up from about $40,000 in 2005.

The boom has allowed Malina to increase his work force from four to 10 and open a second temporary location near J.C. Penney to accommodate holiday traffic.

MVPs

Malina’s a Chicago Cubs fan, but he’s rooted for the Cardinals since he opened Fastbreak Sports in 1992.

That’s because he likes money more than he dislikes the rival Redbirds, who account for 90 percent of his baseball sales. He ordered $80,000 in World Series items days after St. Louis won the title.

“The fan base here is just huge for the Cardinals,” he said.

The NFL’s popularity is more fragmented, though Kansas City Chiefs jerseys are Malina’s top sellers, he said.

Fastbreak Sports didn’t start selling clothing until it moved in June 2004 from a 1,400-square-foot spot near Sears to its current 1,900-sqaure-foot spot near Dillards. Clothing sales have slowly built fan interest in the store, he said.

Phenom

Malina’s success appears isolated within the realm of sports merchandise and memorabilia.

He said his Reebok representative said he wasn’t selling nearly as much clothing to other outlets. Also, John Storm, owner of Play Ball memorabilia store in Branson, said his sales have been down slightly this year.

However, attorney Roger Jones is having success.

He owns and operates Springfield Sports Cards on a part-time basis and said sales doubled following the St. Louis World Series win.[[In-content Ad]]