Lansing Athletics owner made a big gamble on the Lions. He could have bet bigger

LANSING — Al Salas made a big bet on the Detroit Lions this year, after seeing the last half of their last season.

"This is a young team, they're gonna be around for a while," he told himself, before doubling and tripling his orders before the season started.

Salas runs Lansing Athletics in the Lansing Mall, and he has been selling athletic merchandise for 41 years.

But even his big bet wasn't enough. He's had to make several more orders just to keep his shelves stocked.

"We have customers non-stop. This is, if not the best year, it is one of the best years ever for apparel. It's the first time we have not just one but two teams reaching the end of the season," Salas said, referring to the University of Michigan' Wolverines's national championship.

"This is big, for everybody in this great state."

Lions gear is driving much of the sales, although UM has been a big part of the increase, Salas said.

"This is really helping small businesses like ours," he said of the football season. "We've had struggles after struggles like COVID. This is helping not only apparel but restaurants because people want to see it on the big screen."

The young Lions team was part of Salas's investment strategy. There's a lot of young popular players so he felt confident in buying way more than usual. Jerseys for Jared Goff, Sam LaPorta, Aidan Hutchinson and Amon-Ra St. Brown are being snapped up quick, he said.

Anything branded with Lions has been flying off the shelves of the Rally House in East Lansing, too, said David Boyd, who has managed the store since October.

He said Lions merchandise sales at the store have at least tripled since the fall, with no signs of slowing down.

"We're getting new stuff every day and, frankly, everything is going," Boyd said. "Hoodies, shirts, sweats, tees and hats. They're all selling and this is not just guys. Everyone is coming in."

The latest new item - shirts marking the Sunday NFC Championship game against the San Francisco 49ers - is expected Wednesday, Boyd said.

Lions fans Diane Smith of Lansing and her grandson Easton McGillis, 7, shopped Monday at Rally House East Lansing.

Smith bought two Lions sweatshirts for herself and her husband.

"Easton already has lots of Lions clothing and wanted a U-M football cap," Smith said. "He knows more about the Lions and Wolverines than both of us."

As Easton left the store, he yelled: "Go Lions!"

Lansing State Journal photographer Matthew Dae Smith contributed to this story.

Contact Mike Ellis at mellis@lsj.com or 517-267-0415

This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Sales roaring for Detroit Lions merchandise in Lansing area