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[Urban Buy]

American beauties
Old Glory makes a comeback

BY KIM WEIDMAN

WHEN MEGHAN FAY headed to CVS the weekend after the terrorist attacks, she had one thing on her shopping list: an American flag. But like most who went to the stores that week, she found only empty shelves where the flags had been. Fay tried eight other stores before cutting out a picture of a flag from the newspaper.

" There’s not much that we can do to show unity as a country, " Fay says. " This is one thing we can do, and I’m happy to put my flag up. "

If you want to wave your own star-spangled banner, head to — where else? — a flag store. At the Heritage Flag Company, owner Amy McDonald says she sold around $25,000 worth of flags — in sizes ranging from hand-held ($1.50) to eight by 12 feet ($172) — in two days, wiping out the inventory by mid September; the store had to restock. In the first two weeks after the attacks, Heritage donated 100 percent of its flag-sale profits to the American Red Cross.

Eagle Flag of America ran out of its standard inventory — including hand-held (30 cents), car-antenna ($1.75), and three-by-five-foot flags ($26) — two days after the attacks, but owner Nancy St. John quickly made plans to restock. " It’s a horrible thing that happened, but it’s a good thing that we’re united as one American people, " she says.

But waving a flag isn’t the only way to show your patriotism. Head into any CVS, and you’ll also find flag decals, lapel pins, and stickers. CVS is also making it easy for customers to donate to the Red Cross through an in-store fundraising effort.

If you want to wear your patriotism less discreetly, head to the Kenmore Army and Navy Store and buy a proud to be an american T-shirt ($10). The store is also restocking its three-by-five-foot flags ($10.95), bandannas ($2), and pins ($2.95).

To incorporate more red, white, and blue into your wardrobe, visit Filene’s for Polo and Tommy Hilfiger flag T-shirts and sweaters, Bill Blass jeans with a flag belt buckle, and Chaps flag sweatshirts. Buy a flag tack pin ($3), and $1 will benefit the widows of firemen and policemen in New York.

Hold your head high with an American-flag-embroidered hat from Custom Caps ($16). Or proudly wave your manicured hands with an American flag painted on each finger: Tops Nails Design can make your pinkies and piggies patriotic ($20).

Finally, for the most permanent display of patriotism, get a tattoo of Old Glory on your shoulder. House of Pain has a wall of flags from which to choose, or they can design a custom tattoo for you. Tattoos start at $75, and you’ll know that the emblem of the land you love will always be with you.

Where to find it:

• Heritage Flag Company, 28 Damrell Street, Boston, (617) 269-3524

• Eagle Flag of America, 97 Bridge Street, Route 3A, North Weymouth, (800) 442-1440

• CVS stores, www.cvs.com

• Store 24 stores, www.store24.com

• Kenmore Army and Navy Store, Arsenal Mall, 485 Arsenal Street, Watertown, (617) 924-6004

• Filene’s stores, www.filenes.com

• Custom Caps, Faneuil Hall, Boston, (617) 742-5254

• Tops Nails Design, 230 Quincy Avenue, Braintree, (781) 843-6199

• House of Pain, 412 Ferry Street, Everett, (617) 394-0660

Issue Date: October 4 - 11, 2001






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