A tour of the brand new Atlanta United team store

A week and a half ago, Atlanta United celebrated the grand opening of a joint venture with the Falcons — a temporary team shop at the Mall of Georgia. While we didn't make it for the grand opening with Darren Eales and Ann Rodriguez in attendance, Dirty South Soccer had to check it out in person. We wanted to see what it was all about, as well as grab some new merch, of course.

If you've been to the Atlanta United MLS online store, you've seen a small assortment of options ranging from red and black shirts, snapbacks, women's garments, as well as various odds-and-ends. You'll find all of these options at the Mall of Georgia location, as well as a number of not-yet-released (at least online) Adidas items, in addition to other brand offerings, such as Antigua.

Ann Rodriguez addressed the product offerings:

"For the most part, the gear in the store is similar to the online assortment.  We have a variety of shirts, long-sleeve pullovers and jackets, as well as accessories such as hats, scarves, and novelty items like license plate frames and lanyards."

Don't get me wrong, there is absolutely more Falcons merchandise available compared to AUFC. Our fledgling club's crest has only been out for a few months, so naturally the product selection is relatively small. There aren't any red and black striped kits available to buy yet, though those are most certainly on the way. However, it's very positive to see such a selection available and for the club to push this to get it into the hands of the fans.

Rodriguez recognized the feedback the club has received from local fans:

"We have been overwhelmed with the positive response and the demand for our team merchandise. We have been working with Adidas and our suppliers to get as much inventory and different styles as we can, so that we can meet the demand at the holidays for product, and learn about the preferences of our fan base, which will inform our future product decisions."

My pick up for the day? This awesome, retro Adidas shirt with the crest and a classic scarf. I also had to scoop up that nifty red and black striped coozie at the bottom of the odd-and-ends display. Gotta keep the beer cool.

The pop-up store closes December 29. Get over there while you can. You can find it in the courtyard at the Mall of Georgia near the Cheesecake Factory.