DENVER — Demand for Colorado Avalanche gear following the team's Stanley Cup win is high — and rightfully so.
"I was 10 in '01," fan Alex Koch said. "Now, being almost 32, I can be like, "Holy crap, my team won.""
Koch was one of the many fans Denver7 saw right before closing time at Altitude Authentics at Ball Arena Monday afternoon, stocking up ahead of Thursday's championship parade.
"I think I'm done for now," Koch said after purchasing multiple items. "Hopefully nothing else catches my eye."
Across the Sportsfan stores in Denver, owner Derek Friedman says people were stopping by all day long to get their hands on gear. He recommends getting your shopping done Tuesday or Wednesday before Thursday morning's rush.
"All the people who hadn't gotten all this gear will be in the stores, and, really, there aren't that many downtown where people are coming that sell our gear," Friedman said.
At Dick's Sporting Goods in Lone Tree, the biggest store of the franchise in the state, there was a steady stream of customers since 7 a.m. Monday when doors opened, trying to get their hands on some of the highly sought-after championship gear.
"We haven't sold out of anything yet because we do have a healthy stock," said Jess Gillman, the company's community marketing manager for Colorado.
For some, like 7-year-old Hendrix, all of this excitement — 21 years since the last Stanley Cup win — came as a surprise.
"I was just really happy, and I was really surprised," he said.
"You were surprised? Did you not think they were going to win?" Denver7's Pattrik Perez asked.
"No," Hendrix replied.
Others have been waiting for this moment, and this gear, for years.
"We've been waiting for this for a long time," fan Nancy said. "I went to the parade in 2001, so now we're heading back to the parade this year. We're excited."
Dick's Sporting Goods in Lone Tree will open at 7 a.m. Thursday for last-minute shoppers. Sportsfan will likely open between 8:30 a.m. and 9 a.m. Thursday, Friedman said.
