Viva Los Heels!
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VivA LOS HEELS! The Merch’s new line of wrestling masks is ready for tourney season BY K IRK ROS S “Every time we wore them,” says Hop- Come next fall, The Merch expects to do pin, “people would offer to buy them.” a healthy business with various collegiate Hoppin began playing around with the football powerhouses. The store even has design and made a few custom masks as a few masks left in Steeler colors after gifts for friends. He had a few rules: You a quick run was put together for the had to be a close friend, a UNC superfan Superbowl. and someone who wouldn’t do something “People want to know how I’ll feel when that would bring dishonor to the team I see someone in a Duke mask taunting us while in the mask. Demand was high. after a loss. I’ve decided it’s not going to “So many of my friends wanted one that bother me. It hurts so bad to lose against I finally decided you had to be 40.” Duke,” Hoppin says in true superfan style, “I He made about nine to start. Each don’t think it could hurt more.” took about five hours to make, so Hoppin No matter what your loyalties, Hoppin started to investigate mass production. says the idea is to add a little adventure At first, he wanted to work with the to your fandom. family business in Mexico that makes “You can wear it to the game or you most of the world’s wrestling masks. can wear it around the office for a while. But after a few frustrating exchanges The idea is to have some fun.” with middlemen and dissatisfaction with You can purchase an officially licensed design, he moved on. China was next; and Tar Heel wrestling mask for $30 at The though it was clearly the cheapest way to Merch at 101 Lloyd Street in Carrboro or get the masks made, the design process you can order online and have it shipped were taking too long and the materials still anywhere in the world by visiting fanatic- were not quite right. masks.com He looked a little closer to home and found, just down the road in Asheboro, two firms that could do the job in the materials he wanted. “I wanted them to be comfortable. We’re using a wicking fabric that stretch- es in four ways.” More importantly, he’s proud to be selling a product that’s sweatshop-free and North Carolina made. While the design was getting nailed down, The Merch started the painstaking process of getting the masks licensed. 8VggWdgdÉhThey finally won approval in December 8VggWdgdÉh and went into production. The masks7Zhi are already on campus at 7Zhi There’s no masking this fan’s love for the Heels. UNC Student Stores and you’re starting PHOTO BY AVA BarLOW to see more and more when the cameras pan the8]VeZa crowds during games. Hoppin is 8]VeZa f you’ve wandered down Lloyd Street Music fans around here may recall “Viva hoping that Chapel Hill Sportswear, which and done a little window-shopping of Del Santo!” a hit tune by Southern Culture handles concessions at the Smith Center late, you may have done a double take on the Skids about the legendary Mexican and other venues,=^aa also will get on board, =^aa when passing The Merch. wrestler and movie serial star El Santo (The and that he’ll then see even more of them Lined up along the window in the Saint). Sometimes, SCOTS would perform at the games. Iprinting and gear shop’s new retail sales room the song while a figure in wrestling gear While in7Vg other parts of the world, 7Vg are several mannequin heads bedecked with and mask posed Santo-like and cavorted wrestling masks are usually big with kids, Mexican wrestling masks. Look a little closer with the band and/or crowd. That bit of HoppinDeZcBdc#"Hjc# says, he’s shooting for the older DeZcBdc#"Hjc# and you might notice that one does indeed cultural cross-pollination helped hasten the crowd'/(%e#b#"'V#b# as well. '/(%e#b#"'V#b# have a UNC logo. Closer still, and you can influx of Mexican wrestling kitsch, already “This is perfect for the fan that wants read that it is an officially licensed product. big elsewhere, into local culture. to paint his face but doesn’t want to go How it came to be that a small compa- In 2005, Hoppin and Tim Ross, two to) all * 'the& $ trouble'L#; and g Vc` then a ^cHi# deal with the ) * '& $ 'L#; g Vc` a ^cHi# ny in Carrboro produced the first Carolina music fans who dug the wrestling imagery mess the rest8]VeZa=^aa of the night.” 8]VeZa=^aa wrestling mask is a long story, with action and also happened to be Tar Heel super- And although the inspiration was in China, Mexico and Asheboro. Here’s fans, decided to make some masks for a big certainly.&.".+-".(%- born of his loyalty to Carolina, .&.".+-".(%- how The Merch’s co-owner Chip Hoppin home game against Duke. HoppinXVkZgciVkZgc#Xdb knows that there are plenty of XVkZgciVkZgc#Xdb boils it down: The appeal of the masks was evident. other teams’ fans that will want them. MILL MARCH 2009 + carrborocitizen.com/mill 15.