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Sales Of Tech Goods Hit Record

October 13, 2007

By Rex Bowman

From jackets and jewelry to magnets and mugs, people snatched up Virginia Tech merchandise in record amounts after the April 16 campus massacre, according to numbers released yesterday.

That translates into more money for Tech scholarships.

Well-wishers nationwide bought Hokie orange-and-maroon shirts, hats, sweaters and shorts to show their support for the school where a gunman killed 32 students and teachers.

The result: Wholesale sales climbed to more than $5.6 million from April 1 through June 30. Sales in a typical quarter hover between $3 million and $4 million, making the quarter that included the shootings a record-setter, said Tech spokesman Larry Hincker.

"It was huge," Hincker said of the quarter. "Clearly it's a reflection of mourning and support and empathy that the world showed for the community and those who lost their lives to madness. It was a way for people to participate in the collective mourning."

Tech typically receives about $250,000 in royalties per quarter on sales of Hokie goods, and that money goes into the university's general scholarship fund. In the wake of the tragedy, royalties hit $450,000.

Sandra Wilson of Franklin County said she bought a maroon Tech baseball cap two or three days after the shootings and had the hat displayed in the rear window of her car until recently.

"It was the first Virginia Tech thing I ever bought," said the mother of two small children. "West Virginia [University] has always been my team. But I wanted to show my support."

The increased buying began immediately after Tech senior Seung-Hui Cho killed 27 students, five teachers and then himself. Those in the Tech community donned Hokie gear, and people with no connection to the school also picked up Hokie clothing and knickknacks. Tech licenses vendors to sell a variety of Hokie products, ranging from earrings and athletic apparel to bathrobes, dress shirts and dog collars.

"We sold out of our big flags," said Charlie Overstreet, owner of a chain of Northwest True Value Hardware stores in the Roanoke area. Overstreet said the VT flags, which cost $29.99 and measure 2½ feet by 4 feet, sold out at all six of his stores. Smaller lawn flags that cost $10 also sold out at all locations.

Tech did not receive information about which items were most popular with buyers or which store sold the most Tech gear.

Hincker said that in the weeks after the shootings, Tech received phone calls from vendors seeking licenses to sell Hokie products, but Tech turned them all down as university officials focused on dealing with the tragedy. The school issued no new licenses until this summer, he said.

"Virginia Tech was in the hearts and minds of lots of people," Hincker said. "I have seen pictures of people in orange and maroon around the world. It's very heartening."

Contact Rex Bowman at (540) 344-3612 or rbowman@timesdispatch.com.