Championship medals and trophies aren't the only things glittering these days at local
hockey tournaments. Two jewelry booths at the London Devilettes
147-team hockey tournament this weekend at the Western Fair Sports Centre [London, Ontario Canada]
are hot attractions.
That may not be surprising at a girls' tournament but inroads were made a week ago when
Lori Breau set up a stand at a West London minor hockey tournament -- a boys' tournament.
Breau, who works from home and conducts "charm parties" across the city, specializes in sports bracelets.
The bracelets were a hit because the families --
namely the mothers and daughters, accompanying the players --
found they had something to purchase in the jewelry line related to hockey.
"Mothers would say to daughters 'if you're good all weekend I'll buy you something,'" Breau said.
But she has bracelets for boys, too.
Mainly the boys go for the black ones, she said.
"If one boy buys one, others will too. It takes one to
start it. If it's the cool boy (on the team) then I'm in."
For the girls, the bracelets have charms dangling from them such a
skates or hockey sticks.
The smooth bracelets are inscribed with slogans such as "He shoots, he scores" or a
hockey player figure or a team crest. Prices range from $3 to $30.
One has a Devilette crest on it but Breau will also customize orders.
Breau has more than 700 different charms she imports
from the U.S., China and Italy and she's selling them to raise money for schools.
Last week at the boys' hockey tournament, Breau sold between 150 and 200 bracelets
and there was plenty of follow up interest.
This weekend it's a female tournament and sales will be substantial enough to
press husband Steve and daughters Rebecca and Samantha into service.
"It's a little family business," Breau said.
Source: © 2004, SLAM! Sports
© Copyright 2004 London Free Press.
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