Patriots fans storm stores for Super stuff

The weather outside may have been frightful, but that didn?t stop local New England Patriots fans from buying Super Bowl championship gear to celebrate the Patriots? scintillating win over Seattle Sunday night in Arizona.Jeremy Bradbury, manager at Olympia Sports at the Northshore Mall in Peabody, said business was good Monday, despite the weather.As of Monday afternoon, Olympia Sports had sold about 50 T-shirts and 30 hats since opening at 8 a.m., according to Bradbury. He said the apparel was stored in the backroom for a few days and released Monday morning.?If the storm wasn?t here, it would have been a zoo,” Bradbury said. “Saturday was a circus. Customers want the locker room hats and T-shirts, because they want to feel like they?re part of the team. Those were the same ones players wore on the field after the win. We only have the men?s gear, because we haven?t been able to get another shipment due to the storm.”Patty (Reddy) Lauria, of Lynn, actually beat the storm by going to Modell?s Sporting Goods in Saugus right after the game, arriving about 11 p.m. Sunday. She was there until 12:30 a.m. and got home just as the first flakes were falling.?We were those crazy die-hard fans, but it was so much fun,” Lauria said. “Everyone was cheering, and cars were honking. We were surprised at how many cars there were.”Lauria estimates 100 customers were in the store.She said although the sweatshirt she purchased was $70 and a T-shirt was $40, they will be part of a great memory.Lauria watched the game at home with friends and family. Her son, Matthew, said the atmosphere at Modell?s had the same sort of family-friendly atmosphere.?Everyone was cheering ?Go Pats,? but it wasn?t a crazy, drunken crowd,” Matthew said. “I totally would have driven in the snow if my parents had let me. I have my permit, so one of them would have to be with me.”Maureen Favuzza, of Saugus, who went on the impromptu shopping trip with the Laurias, said she?s glad they went Sunday night and didn?t wait for Monday, when the storm raged.?I know the die-hards are lined up outside Patriot Place in Foxborough,” Favuzza said Monday afternoon. “But I can?t get out of my driveway right now. Although it was freezing cold (Sunday night), there was still positive energy.”Matthew Catacchio, Dick?s Sporting Goods community marketing manager who covers the North Shore stores, said Dick?s normally closes Sundays at 7 p.m. but reopened at 10:30 p.m. for 90 minutes. He was stationed at the Natick store Sunday but said there was a considerable turnout in all of the Boston-area stores.?Most sold out within an hour of the game ending,” Catacchio said. “The fans were lined up waiting to buy championship hats and locker room shirts.”Catacchio said Monday?s storm didn?t stop die-hard fans. “New England fans are pretty dedicated in this area,” Catacchio said. “If they want it bad enough, they?ll find a way to get there.”He said the stores would open at 6 a.m. today.