ST. PAUL, Minn. - Who knew it would be this big?
The runaway Netflix hit show 'Stranger Things' recently debuted its new season with one of the young characters, Dustin Henderson, sporting a sweatshirt with a Brontosaurus on it. Not just any sweatshirt, mind you, but one that name-drops the Science Museum of Minnesota (SMM).
.@sciencemuseummn will have the #StrangerThings Thunder Lizard hoodies soon. Very soon. @janashortal reports https://t.co/feoCEFy4xh #BTN11 pic.twitter.com/QY853mxeFZ
— KARE 11 (@kare11) November 3, 2017
The phones started ringing at the museum with folks wondering how they heck they could get their hands on one, the SMM marketing department hurriedly got a replica mocked-up, and made a ton of them, letting fans know they would be available on the museum's website first thing Tuesday.
Buyers were ready, but apparently, the SMM website was not, crashing under the weight of orders from around the globe just after the 8 a.m. sales opening. A statement on the website reads "While we have an unlimited volume of apparel available online, due to high volume our online store has crashed. Please be patient as we do our best to bring it back online."
The site appeared to be operational again shortly before noon, albeit slowly. A check showed 3,700 people waiting in an electronic waiting line to buy, and museum officials say $80,000 of product was sold in the first 25 minutes after the site was fixed and running The SMM did post on Twitter that there was a limited supply of Brontosaurus sweatshirts at the Explore Store inside the museum, and there was a line out the door when it opened. All of the 500 sweatshirts stocked were sold by 10:30 a.m. except those in size 3-XL.
"The Science Museum is absolutely thrilled to be connected to the Stranger Things phenomena here, the characters are interested in science," shared SMM Director of Communications Kim Ramsden. "We're getting the Science Museum of Minnesota on the map internationally, and we're just excited to be part of this ride."
Ramsden did assure folks who want them that plenty of the popular purple sweatshirts were printed up, and supply should not be a problem.