Local small businesses see influx amid Chiefs’ success
With the Chiefs in another Super Bowl, local businesses are seeing sales rise with the team’s success.
For the last three years, several store owners have seen a bump in business in late January and early February as fans flock in for merchandise to support their favorite team.
“We’ve been lucky and spoiled that they have been winning,” Jenny Geyheb, the owner of Narrative, said. “Usually January retail is pretty abysmal so the Chiefs winning and planning parties is good. People are out looking and planning for game day.”
Located at 2702 Ashland Ave., Narrative has been open since 2022 and often features Chiefs items in its windows. Geyheb’s Chiefs collection is created by local craftsmen and consists mostly of vintage gear.
“We try to have really unique items that you can’t find anywhere else at some bigger stores,” Geyheb said. “I do have a lot of vintage Chiefs because it seems like the younger crowd, they want super unique something that no one else has.”
It is not just red and gold in the shop. A well-known pop star has trickled her way into the fan base as well. Geyheb said her business is known as the “Swiftie store” because of the unique Taylor Swift gear she has.
Geyheb sold the items before the relationship between Swift and Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce started but said, “Her dating Travis catapulted it into a whole new level.”
Another local shop, Clean Alchemy at 1201 Frederick Ave., sells candles, wax melts and more. Store owner Karyn Morrow has a Kansas City collection and has seen the Chiefs’ Chiefs-themed candles take off.
“In the summer I sold a lot of Royals and KC Current,” Morrow said. “Once football really got going, that is when the Chiefs’ candles really started taking off.”
Numbers on the wax seals represent Chiefs players, including a No. 15 for Patrick Mahomes and No. 87 for Travis Kelce.
“I just wanted to do something fun that was part of the fandom of Kansas City and just the excitement for the Chiefs,” Morrow said. “We have been doing so well for so long there’s probably some fans that remember when we weren’t doing so well.”
Morrow, a longtime Swiftie, even has a Taylor section with the No. 22 wax seal.
Out at 2239 N. Belt Highway, the Mark-It has been showing their Chiefs support with plenty of gear as well. Store owner Tracy Massey said they sell Chiefs items all year around but having a winning team helps.
“Anytime they win, we win,” Massey said. “This is better than training camp.”
She said going to the championship game is great for sales and the store is currently preparing for “when the Chiefs win.” Massey said the team’s success has given her business a dramatic bump.
“Since they started winning, 500% there is just no comparison,” she said. “Since they have been winning and having them at the training camp has always been a plus for all business in St. Joe.”
