The now iconic red mittens are so popular they're selling on eBay (Photo by Duncan Rawlinson)
Both the Yonge and Queen and Yonge and Bloor locations of The Bay are down to the dregs of Vancouver Olympics swag: a few baseball caps, generic Canada T-shirts and pricey sweaters. Not surprisingly, the most popular item of Olympics garb—those cutesy red mittens—is the cheapest, and by December, the first shipment of a million pairs of the $10 mitts, dubbed the it souvenir of the Games, had sold out.
VANOC ordered a final shipment of two million pairs, which has already been delivered to stores, but these mitts will likely disappear long before the closing ceremonies. As of yesterday, only a few pairs remained at the Queen and Bloor Street stores, as well as at the Zellers in High Park. Not to worry—the mittens and the rest of the merch have already hit eBay, with a 50 per cent price hike, of course.
• HBC’s Olympic mittens are the it item at the Games [Toronto Life]
• The most iconic souvenir of the Winter Games [Globe and Mail]
Mittens are made in China, FYI. Not the true souvenir they could have been.
February 17, 2010 at 1:15 pm | by sblackadderThis is baloney. Do you mean central downtown? Yes, they may be sold out there. Zellers at Dufferin Mall still had lots this afternoon, as did the Bay in Sherway Gardens (Etobicoke! Gasp!). Anyone who buys these on ebay for more than $10 is crazy as they’re not particularly well-made anyway.
February 17, 2010 at 1:38 pm | by Kris(tine)Zellers at Gerrard Square had plenty of mittens yesterday, Tuesday 16.
February 17, 2010 at 1:54 pm | by agfI want to buy the red mittens
February 18, 2010 at 12:03 am | by LisaOK dude there is no Zellers at Dufferin Mall
February 18, 2010 at 5:51 am | by anti ijitsZellers redirects to Hudson Bay (BECAUSE THEY R LAME AND DONT HAVE A RETAIL WEBSITE) and the mittens are sold out.
February 18, 2010 at 5:54 am | by anti ijitsHow can these be so Canadian when they are made in China….boycott The Bay for being un-Canadian. We need to support our own industries….buy Kootney woolens made in B.C, by native Indians. Excellent quality and Canadian to the core.
February 26, 2010 at 1:00 pm | by RayHBC has recently unveiled the red mittens this fall with brand new design. Check them out now.
September 25, 2010 at 11:00 pm | by Jay R