Charcuterie boards, holiday ornaments and locally made pottery are among the unique items you can find at this year’s official gift shop for the 124th U.S. Open Championship at Pinehurst No. 2.
The shop, located at 725 Morganton Road, will open to the general public on June 6-9 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. After that, the shop will only be open to those with a ticket to attend the U.S. Open.
The 35,000 square-foot tent is the largest merchandise tent the U.S. Open has had in more than 10 years, according to U.S. Golf Association Managing Director for Merchandise and Licensing Mary Lopuszynski.
Lopuszynski said those first few days allow them to determine which items are starting to sell well so reorders can be placed.
The biggest seller each year?
Hats.
From baseball caps to visors to larger sunhats, the shop’s hat section is always the most popular and crowded. Among this year’s collection – a special U.S. Open Father’s Day design and another featuring Pinehurst’s iconic Putter Boy, golf clubs and the championship trophy on the brim.
Baseball caps and visors run about $25 to $40, depending on the style and design.
For $58, guests can take home a wide-brimmed straw hat with U.S. Open stitched onto the back. These limited-edition hats change in design each year and are usually among the first items to sell out, Lopuszynski said.
T-shirts are also a huge seller with designs from the basic U.S. Open logo to more Pinehurst specific designs available.
If you golf or just like to dress like you golf, the shop features a large variety of men’s, women’s and children’s clothing items – many designed by Peter Millar, which is headquartered in Raleigh. The brand has many designs from the simple to the more elaborate, including a special design each year specially for the U.S. Open. This year’s signature U.S. Open design includes the different logos through the years, plus tees, ballmarkers and grandstands dotted throughout the shirt. Those shirts are $115 each.
Swimwear might not be on your shopping list at the U.S. Open, but they do have men’s trunks, including one featuring jellyfish and the U.S. Open logo for $89.
In addition to children’s clothing, the shop also offers two stuffed bears – one with a U.S. Open sweater for $26 and another dressed like the putter boy for $34.
The shop is also offering some giftable items, including a $54 coaster set with the U.S. Open logos from when Pinehurst has hosted the event through the years. There are also a lot of mugs, cups and waterbottles. There is even a U.S. Open dog bowl for $49.
The most expensive item in the store is a wooden American Flag U.S. Open logo for $360. Another higher priced item is a limited edition Putter Boy statue for $125.
Nichols Pottery from Seagrove also has a line of items featuring the U.S. Open logo, including an olive oil holder for $57.
Another local maker featured is R. Riveter, a Southern Pines-based handbag business started by two military wives. Their custom U.S. Open tote bags are available in red and green.
For the foodie in your life, the shop is also offering a variety of charcuterie boards and serving trays featuring the U.S. Open logo. The wooden boards run about $155 and include a cookbook.
Christmas ornaments are also a giftable item with a variety of ones for sale featuring the U.S. Open logo, including a handcrafted 24K gold plated cloisonné ornament from Kitty Keller for $52.
