Pittsburgh sportswear store chain Yinzers is "hoping to capitalize on the success" of Steelers QB Devlin "Duck" Hodges by selling "black and yellow duck-shirts, duck knit caps, floppy ear duck 'Hat-A-Mals,' even rubber duckies," according to the PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE. Hodges' nickname came from being known as a "champion duck caller." Yinzers manager Tim Piett said that duck merchandise has been "flying off the shelves." Three Yinzers stores in the Strip District on Monday "sold $1,500 in duck-related goods, combined," and overall, duck sales have "increased business by 20 percent." Piett said, "Every time we get a shipment of any duck merchandise in, it's going right out the door." Yinzers has been "working the phones with suppliers, trying to secure as much duck-related merchandise as it can." It has "duck calls, hoodies, more hats, and six more styles of T-shirts (to supplement the half dozen or so on hand) coming in later this week." A few blocks away, Pgh Sports employee Brian Vucelich said that duck T-shirts "also are hot" at the competing apparel store. Vucelich: "People have been very receptive to it. They seem to love him so far. I think this is the most fun people have had since Big Ben's rookie year." Meanwhile, the Steelers "do not plan to waddle into the duck-selling frenzy at any of their Heinz Field or stand-alone store" (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 12/11).
