Fans rush for Astros merchandise ahead of home opener
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Wherever you look, Houston is feeling the orange and blue.
"Why wouldn't we?" asks 'Stros fan Valla. "We have to celebrate that we won last year's World Series. That's an amazing thing. Why not show our colors?"
Sports apparel stores all over town were packed hours before the 2018 home opener. A manager of a local Academy store said his offseason sales have never been better.
At the Astros team store at Minute Maid Park, fans were lining up for limited edition gold-trimmed uniforms. The players will be wearing these during the first two games of the opening home series.
"We probably did 10 times the amount of business that we normally would do in the month of March," said Josiah Gallow, senior buyer for the Astros store.
The most popular item is anything have to do with the reigning AL MVP.
"Jose Altuve is definitely numero uno," said Gallow.
But perhaps the most talked-about item are the vintage sweaters. They've been sold out for months, and we arrived at the team store just as it received its latest shipment.
You might remember a certain supermodel wearing it during the American League Championship Series - Mrs. Justin Verlander herself, Kate Upton.
"The phone has been off the line since they showed Kate Upton wearing it," said Gallow.
The sweater will run you $200, but if you are looking for something truly original, you can always make your own Astros outfit.
"Now that we're world champs, I added 'world champs' to it," said Phil Brayton, an Astros fan seen wearing nothing but his coat and a pair of shorts. "It's my lucky coat, and we're going to win back to back! It's going to be incredible."
Speaking of innovation, a legendary Astros fan known for representing his team with comfort and style while holding on to his need for mobility got some screen time with our ABC13 photographer.
