Saints' success means big business for retailers

METAIRIE, La. - With every win, the football food at Dorignac's goes a bit faster.

"The better the team does, the better we do here as well," says Ronnie Dawson. "The party continues to build and build throughout the season as people get more excited about the team, they tend to spend more monies on parties, and it really makes it nice for us."

Down the street at Tyger Gifts, the better the Saints, the better the sales.

"We're starting to get slim in a lot of areas - kids, women's, men's," says inventory manager Brandy Brassette. "It's a little bit all over the place right now because the Saints are doing so well. It seems like the fan motivation is there and they're just buying everything up."

The Saints went to 5-0 with their win against the Bears Sunday, and while there's still so much of the season left, it's hard not to feel the excitement building.

Wide receiver Nick Toon says he noticed it Sunday night when the team returned from Chicago.

"We had a big group of fans waiting for us when we got back," he says. "It's always exciting and fun to see the support that the city gives us and not a lot of NFL teams, if any, get the support that we get from the community, so it's awesome."

But Toon says the team can only focus on the next game, leaving the high hopes to the Who Dat Nation.

"This is the best start that we've had since the Super Bowl," says fan Derrin Gaines. "I'm looking forward to another win Sunday against New England."

"Always excited to have the Saints doing such a good job but, win or lose, I'm still a Saints fan," says Toni Miller.

Of course, retailers hope the team keeps up with its winning ways. Black and gold tops holiday wish lists when the Saints are playing well.

"There's still your loyal fans, and then there's your fans that are there when the winning is there also," says Brassette.

Back at Dorignac's, workers will use the next couple of days to restock before another big football weekend.

"Every Friday afternoon, our catering department starts with sandwiches, sandwich trays, cheese trays, and all through the weekend, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, it continues to build," says Dawson.