It’s showtime for KC makers as demand for Super Bowl gear hits the jackpot: Go BTS with Charlie Hustle
January 30, 2024 | Nikki Overfelt Chifalu
Even though the Kansas City Chiefs are headed to their fourth Super Bowl appearance in five years, Jordan Betts shared, fans are still snatching up merchandise like it’s the first time.
Charlie Hustle’s “Showtime in Vegas” tee awaits folding for an online order; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News
“These aren’t even winning-the-Super Bowl shirts,” said Betts, communications manager for Kansas City-based Charlie Hustle, referencing the apparel brand’s newly debuted “Showtime in Vegas” tee. “But fans are wanting this design like we already won the Super Bowl. That’s the kind of numbers we’re doing, which is madness to me.”
SHOP NOW: Here are 20+ must-see additions to your KC closet (Super Bowl edition)
The Chiefs defeated the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday night, setting the stage for the Feb. 11 Super Bowl rematch against the San Francisco 49ers. But by Tuesday afternoon, the “Showtime in Vegas” T-shirt was already sold out online, Betts said.
Next comes the shipping rush, she added, noting it was all hands on deck Tuesday at Charlie Hustle’s headquarters to get orders out as quickly as possible.
KC Heart Hands Tee from Charlie Hustle
“Our COO, our head of licensing, our head of finance, everyone is folding shirts right now to be shipped off for online packaging,” Betts explained. “So it’s a whole team effort. It’s absolutely madness. We have hundreds and hundreds of orders that we have to go through.”
“Not only did we do these new shirts, we also had the (Travis Kelce-inspired and now sold-out) KC Heart Hands shirts from last week and we had a ginormous sale Monday and Tuesday,” she said.
A limited quantity of the “Showtime in Vegas” tees were available Tuesday at Charlie Hustle’s storefront on the Country Club Plaza. Long-sleeved, crewneck and youth versions are still in stock online — for now.
Chiefs-inspired apparel sits ready for shoppers at Charlie Hustle’s Plaza storefront; photo by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu, Startland News
Betts also teased the possibility of another design before the Super Bowl.
The “Showtime in Vegas” piece was in the works for weeks before Sunday’s Chiefs victory, she acknowledged.
“The second they won, it was on our website,” Betts said. “Then we called our printers, ‘Hey, start printing this ASAP. We actually drove to Lawrence — where our printers are — Monday just to pick up the first few boxes, so we could send out the first few hundred. People are loving our Vegas shirts so much.”
Chiefs- and Super Bowl-inspired shirt designs from across the spectrum of KC makers; Click here for 20+ must-see additions to your KC closet
Charlie Hustle isn’t alone among brands that pounced on the Chiefs’ Super Bowl run as an opportunity to tap into fans’ appetite for fresh gear. Brands from across the metro went live early this week with apparel and other products featuring everything from nods to the iconic Las Vegas sign to the Chiefs new role as villains to Taylor Swift’s first Super Bowl.
“Whether you are a bakery, a jewelry company, or a clothing company, it is our Super Bowl time right now,” Betts said. “This is a ginormous opportunity for people to support small businesses, because this is just so huge for us. We can try to compete with the big companies, but it does so much good for us when our local teams win, whether it’s KU, K-State, the Royals, and now it’s the Chiefs the past couple of years.”
“I wish I could just hug every single (Chiefs player) and tell them thank you — not only for giving us this opportunity — but for just such a great atmosphere in our community,” she added.
@charliehustleco We’ve been to the big game so many times, it’s practically a residency! Viva Las Vegas, KC! #KansasCity #fyp #football #LasVegas #KCFootball ♬ …Ready For It? – Taylor Swift
2024 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Down for donuts: How this team is sweetening Chiefs’ Super Bowl sugar rush with Mr. D’s(fense)
Another return trip to the Super Bowl has Kansas City small businesses joining the Chiefs as behind-the-scenes special teams fueling the Kingdom. For entrepreneur Johnny Chen, the mere taste of victory just a few years ago has multiplied into a box-full of opportunities. “The Chiefs’ success has impacted our sales tremendously,” said Chen, co-owner of…
Spokes Café banks on new downtown coffee spot, cycling operations under same roof as neighboring customers
A new home inside the Commerce Bank Building in downtown Kansas City moves Dan Walsh’s popular coffee shop across the street — and saves him the struggle of finding a different location amid Spokes Café’s pending displacement as a longtime fixture at 10th and Walnut streets. Walsh recently announced the relocation — the artisanal breakfast and…
Three-peat threads: 30+ Super Bowl-bound Chiefs fan fits (haters will say the refs wrote this)
With the Chiefs ready to stand on business in the Big Easy, Kansas City fans — at home or at the big game — will need to dress for the win they want. Here’s how small business owners from across the region stand ready to help them suit up ahead of the Chiefs-Eagles Super Bowl…
How ’bout those cheeeeeese mochis? Korean chicken spot gets into the game with its own head-turning plays
After their decade of conversation got old, three lifelong friends finally achieved their dream of opening a restaurant together, Kue-Jin Hwang shared. Now they’re hoping to capture Chiefs’ fans’ hunger for a three-peat at their Overland Park restaurant. Hwang, Kyoungmin Kim, and Sung Jo — friends for more than 30 years (each represented in the…