by Natasha Khairullah
Staff Writer
Sportswear retailer Harold Fine has been the focus of envy of hundreds of sports memorabilia vendors around Jacksonville for years. But never is he more envied than around this time of year.
Fine owns Discount Pro-Wear, the only sportswear retailer at the Jacksonville Landing.
“We have outside vendors that will come from out of town and they will set up Downtown and they’re all envious of this spot,” he said.
According to Fine, who has been selling sportswear Downtown for a decade, there’s good reason for them to be envious.
The annual Georgia-Florida weekend celebration at the Landing draws ten of thousands to the riverfront mall. And, Fine’s location puts him at the heart of it all.
“This weekend determines whether or not we’ll be open after the first of the year,” said Fine. “It’s that important.”
Discount Pro-Wear is a catch-all sports paraphernalia store and a Bulldog or Gator fan’s dream come true. They sell everything from team hats and clothing to other knickknacks like the foam “#1” fingers.
“We sell just about anything you can name related to the two colleges,” said Fine, adding the merchandise sales remain fairly even for both schools over the weekend before the game even though some might think that Gator goods would sell better.
“After the game is a different story,” said Fine, “ and that all depends on who wins.”
Fine, who is a Gator fan, said that from a business angle, rooting for your team becomes a bit hairy.
“You run into the situation sometimes where your heart may, for instance, want Florida to win, but your pocketbook needs Georgia to win,” he said.
Fine said a lot of Gators fans are from close by and can drive home after the game, whereas most of the Georgia fans are not. History shows the post-game spending habits of the Georgia fans depend almost entirely on the game’s outcome.
“If they (the Bulldogs) win, they (Georgia fans) will spend an extra night in Jacksonville,” he said. “The Gator fans – whether they win or lose, they go home.”
Employees who have been working at Discount Pro-Wear for a while say they look forward to the game weekend. They also party with the crowd.
“It’s a fun event,” said Fine. “We’ve got half the store barking like a Bulldog and the other half chomping like a Gator and it’s just really a lot fun. But when it’s over, we’re glad.”
Fine said this weekend his store won’t close until the Landing’s bars close. Although it can be an exhausting week, Fine said it’s all worth it.
“Anytime that you can go to work, have a good time and make a little bit of money at the same time, that’s a win-win situation and not everybody can say that about their job,” he said.