Tom Miller’s Super Bowl-watching preparations this year include hooking up a high-definition cable TV box to his new 52-inch plasma television.
The Lake Stevens man spent a combination of his anticipated tax return and part of his Christmas bonus on the sleek-screened technology from Magnolia Audio Video.
“I definitely wanted to get it before the Super Bowl since the Hawks were in it. This was a must,” he said.
At a time of year that’s usually slow for many businesses, a number of local merchants have an extra reason to cheer the Seahawks’ trip to the Super Bowl. Chief among them are electronics stores, which are happy to satisfy fans’ demands for the best technology for watching the game.
“The TV sales are up compared to most Super Bowls because the Seahawks are there,” said Rick Kvangnes, general manager at Judd &Black in Everett, which sells everything from 13-inch LCD sets to spendy high-definition screens that measure five feet across.
He said his stores still can deliver TVs in time for the big game on Sunday. Getting hooked up to high-definition cable by then, however, could be trickier.
For those who aren’t already getting some form of Comcast cable, the clock has run out.
“It’s just too late,” said Comcast spokesman Steve Kipp, who said demand for new service meant installers were already booked beyond the Super Bowl by last week.
Happily, for customers merely upgrading from regular cable to high-definition digital cable, all that’s required is a new converter box. Miller drove down to Comcast’s north Seattle office earlier this week to get his.
Kipp said Puget Sound area sales of Comcast’s high-definition converter boxes and digital video recorders, which provide high-definition service, were up by 79 percent compared with January 2005.
“The numbers are through the roof. It’s exceeding any expectations we had,” he said.
Kipp got a high-definition set right before the NFC title game. “It’s phenomenal,” he said.
Linda Geiger doesn’t sell TVs or high-definition cable, but she’s also been busy in the past two weeks. She and her sister, Sandy O’Brien, own Celebrate! Catering in Everett. On Friday alone, the duo is booked solid, putting on six Super Bowl parties.
“What we’re getting is companies doing Super Bowl parties for their employees,” Geiger said. “It’s given them an excuse to celebrate the Seahawks and the place we live.”
Geiger said planning for the parties happened very fast. The menus for the corporate parties they’re doing, however, are relatively simple, dominated by snacks.
“Your nachos, your buffalo wings, your Little Smokies and, obviously, chips and dips,” she said.
And the beverage most synonymous with football – beer – also is in high demand. Gigi Burke, vice president of marketing and co-owner at Arlington’s Crown Distributing, said business is brisk for the midwinter boost.
“This isn’t usually a beer-selling time,” she said. “We’re thrilled.”
Crown distributes Budweiser, a major Super Bowl sponsor that has rights to use the game’s logos on its banners and signs. That relationship has created a flurry of sign orders from bars, Burke said.
“Our sign-making department has been making tons of signage. It’s been almost nonstop since this all started,” she said.
While obviously happy for the added business, Burke and others also seem genuinely excited as fans. Like hundreds of thousands of people across the Puget Sound area, everyone seems to have plans for watching Sunday’s game.
Miller said he and his wife, also a Seahawks fan, will be in front of their new TV. They may be sharing the crisp picture in their living room with others.
“I anticipate having a few extra friends over this Sunday,” he said.
Reporter Eric Fetters: 425-339-3453 or fetters@heraldnet.com.
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