Retailers buying into Gamecock baseball mania

Gamecock baseball’s interlocking SC logo is gaining on football’s block C.

“When you see that SC logo, you think of winning and you think of national championships,” said Bryan Harmon, collegiate buyer for Jewelry Warehouse, which sells Gamecock gear in the Garnet Traditions section of its stores.

Harmon and other Columbia-area retailers say sales have skyrocketed in the past few years of baseball merchandise, featuring the interlocking SC made famous as the University of South Carolina baseball team brought home two national championships in the past two seasons.

As USC’s baseball season starts today and the Gamecocks prepare for a possible three-peat, fans are swarming stores scouting for baseball hats, shirts, pants and even commemorative Coca-Cola bottles.

The buying frenzy hasn’t reached the fever pitch brought on by the annual fall start of football season and its block C merchandise. But it’s gaining ground, retailers say.

“We’ve put the SC logo on probably 30 to 40 percent more items than what we did four or five years ago,” Harmon said, referring to goods ranging from car decals to flags to hats.

Even men’s clothier Britton’s is getting in on the act.

The store, at 2818 Devine St., is carrying a limited supply of exclusive Pennington & Bailes garnet stadium pants with the interlocking SC logo in a repeated pattern. Manager Perry Lancaster teamed up with the clothing company to create the pants, and Britton’s is the only store that will carry them.

Lancaster, whose store works with the university on a variety of projects, also will carry other products with the logo: a knit “gameday shirt” from Southern Tide, and white and tan Southern Tide hats.

“I already have people planning their wardrobes for the Carolina-Clemson three-day series in March,” Lancaster said.

While that’s common for football season, “that’s a new one for baseball,” he added. “The anticipation for the season, it’s just amazing.”

Addam’s University Bookstore also is beefing up its selection of baseball fan gear, including four colors of the new Under Armour baseball cap like the ones worn by the players, a new ladies league shirt and two new T-shirt styles, general merchandise manager Leslie Carter said.

“You’ve always had your baseball fans that come in and shop,” she said. “But this has opened up a new fan base. You have this sense of pride of Gamecock Nation as a whole.”

The winning team even has its own Coke bottle.

Coca-Cola has created a glass bottle, commemorating the Gamecocks’ 2011 College World Series win, that is being sold at places around town including Addam’s and Bi-Lo supermarket.

You can get a free bottle if you spend at least $10 at Jewelry Warehouse today, Harmon said. The store, which is not an approved vendor, won’t sell the bottles but bought a pallet of them to give away for the start of the season.

“Four or five years ago, if you told me I was going to go to Bi-Lo and buy a pallet of Gamecock Coke, I don’t know if I would have believed you,” Harmon said. “The sky’s the limit.

“It’s pretty cool to watch. We’re fans, too.”

Short shop

Michaels wants to give some of its customers a random act of kindness.

The craft store will give away more than $100,000 in gift cards at its 1,060 stores and on its Facebook page today to celebrate “Random Acts of Kindness Day.”

The cards will be passed out randomly throughout the day in an effort to encourage others to do something kind in turn.