Buyers scoop up Obama on stickers, magnets

WASHINGTON – On her lunch break, Angela Roberts searched a souvenir store for a keepsake of Barack Obama’s election as president.

Roberts wanted something small, maybe a bookmark, so that, she said, she could keep thoughts of Obama’s victory close by.

“When an event of this magnitude happens, it seems like it’s human nature to want to have some evidence,” said Roberts, 51, of Sterling, Va.

Roberts is not alone. Tourists and Washington-area residents are scouring the city to scoop up stickers, magnets, mugs, buttons, hats, T-shirts, sweatshirts, watches—and even hot sauce—with Obama’s name and likeness.

Jim Warlick opened the Obama Inaugural Souvenirs Center near the White House less than two weeks ago to capitalize on the demand. He owns several souvenir stores in the city and plans to open more. He said Obama merchandise has tripled his business.

“Having been in this 28 years, I’ve never seen a craze like the Obama collectible phase,” he said. “ … It’s not just Americans. We’re getting a lot of foreign tourists.”

The little pieces of history have created an economic boon for souvenir sellers during what traditionally is slow time for tourism in Washington.

“We’re getting a great shot in the arm,” Rebecca Pawlowski, a spokeswoman for Destination DC, the city’s tourism organization.

Theodore Walker owns a souvenir street stand in downtown Washington that is now almost exclusively Obama gear. His business has doubled this winter over last year. 

“And this is just December!” Walker crowed.

Souvenir vendors expect the demand for anything featuring Obama, his wife Michelle and their two young daughters to skyrocket as Inauguration Day approaches and millions of tourists pour into the city.

“It appears many people are leaving home with the express intention of buying an Obama souvenir,” Walker said.

That mindset is an economic stimulus package for the city’s many souvenir shops and street vendors.

“The vendors are really excited about the prospect of what Obama merchandise can do for them,” said Chris Knudson, senior vice president for marketing and communications for the DC Chamber of Commerce.

Norma Walker, no relation to the vendor, stopped at the booth to buy some stocking stuffers. She said people feel a connection with the president-elect the country has not experienced before. 

“I wanted very much to have a commemorative piece of this inauguration,” said Walker of Bethesda, Md.

Obama-mania isn’t limited to Washington. At online retail site zazzle.com, political merchandise has been hot since the primaries, and Obama has been the clear leader among merchandise sold, said Karen DeMarco, a spokeswoman for the California-based company.

Just prior to the election, there was a huge spike in sales of Obama-related products and they remain a strong seller, she said.

“We feel Obama-inspired product momentum will continue well into inauguration and beyond,” DeMarco said.

Over time, vendors and tourism officials expect some interest in Obama merchandise to wane.  Warlick said people typically don’t realize they’re witnessing history until long after the fact and then start to collect memorabilia. It’s easy to see the historical significance of Obama’s swearing-in on Jan. 20.

“This is one time you can see history coming,” Warlick said.

Contact Amy Dominello at 202-662-7671 or .

What a little piece of history costs

Baseball cap – $9.98
T-shirt – $14.48
Magnet – $3.98
Button – $3.25
Mug - $11.97
Sticker - $3

Average of prices on Dec 9 at three downtown Washington souvenir shops