[Nettime-bold] 911 Marketplace at Mall of America

[bc <human@electronetwork.org>]

  [saw this AP article in the local Minneapolis newspaper, and searched for it
  for several days online, but it was not put up until a few days after being in
  print it seems. no comments other than an amazing irony that a store about
  911, the emergency telephone number in the USA, was made into a store for
  public memorabilia of fire and police, well prior to the 9-11 
attacks. the store
  is located at the Mall of America, a megamall nearby the 
international airport,
  and is now doing brisk business, with the patriotic furvor that abounds. bc]

Minnesota Fire-Themed Store Succeeds

http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/ap/20011117/us/911_store_1.html

Saturday November 17 2:45 PM ET Minn. Fire-Themed Store Succeeds

Minn. Fire-Themed Store Succeeds

By EVAN RAMSTAD, AP Business Writer

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. (AP) - Tom McDonough and Sean Moriarty opened 911 
Marketplace in May hoping their store would be successful with 
shoppers searching for fire, police and emergency-themed gifts. But 
since Sept. 11 the veteran firefighters have been overwhelmed.

The pair, who work in the training unit of the St. Paul Fire 
Department, say they're stunned by the shop's rapid growth.

``There are a lot more stresses than I had ever expected,'' says Moriarty.

Demand soared in mid-September for shirts, hats and items associated 
with the New York fire and police departments, which lost hundreds of 
officers in the World Trade Center attacks.

Shoppers constantly ask whether the team opened the store in the Mall 
of America because of the terrorist acts.

``I assumed it might be something that grew out of September,'' said 
Phil Goff, a Kansas City police officer and fire memorabilia 
collector. ``I was very surprised to see it here.''

911 Marketplace, along with other fire- and police-memorabilia 
stores, are quick to point out they aren't cashing in on the tragedy.

Nate Freedman, owner of New York Firefighter's Friend Inc., has even 
printed a history of the 11-year-old store to give inquiring 
customers. At Police Collectibles in Eureka Springs, Ark., owner 
James Post explains he set up his first catalog in 1987.

McDonough dreamed up the idea for his emergency-themed store after a 
trip to Disney World three years ago. His wife and children had 
bought presents for his upcoming birthday at the park's fire 
station-themed gift shop and McDonough was impressed by the variety 
of items.

Last year, McDonough and his wife sat down with more than 200 
wholesale and retail catalogs and selected their stock.

When McDonough's first partner bowed out, Moriarty stepped in. 
Together, the pair has invested $70,000 in an 800-square-foot store 
and Web site.

They rely on word-of-mouth and publicity to draw customers. The store 
is packed with toys, clothing and collectibles - ranging from 
figurines to wind chimes - alongside antique fire gear, old badges, 
call boxes and even fire hydrants.

On the first weekend in November, Moriarty stocked seven dozen 
``FDNY'' baseball caps, which sold out. When Moriarty showed 
McDonough a children's firefighter T-shirt bundled with markers to 
color it, McDonough shrugged and said, ``We need a bigger store.''

But the pair draw the line at products making fun of emergency 
services and personnel. Until Sept. 11, one of their top-selling 
items was a sweat shirt that said ``If you think being a firefighter 
is tough, try being a firefighter's wife.''


Copyright � 2001 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, 
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written 
authority of The Associated Press. (fair-use.edu bc)

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