Soccer finale proves a winner for Pasadena eateries; retailers struggle to meet demand for soccer team jerseys.

Pasadena restaurateurs had a field day as the World Cup tourney came to a close while retailers throughout the Southland couldn't keep up with customer demand for Brazil memorabilia.

The soccer tourney started in mid-June and culminated with Brazil beating Italy in the final game at the Rose Bowl July 17. That day the eateries in Pasadena were filled with fans.

"The whole dining room was a sea of celebration, with hands waving, colorful attire and flags everywhere," said Robert Hyman, managing partner of Il Fornaio an Italian restaurant in Pasadena.

During the game, the Brazilian contingent would chant "ole, ole, ole," and the Italians would respond by chanting "Italia, Italia, Italia," Hyman said.

"From 8 in the morning, starting with breakfast, until midnight there was just constant sea of people," added Michael Fink, managing partner of Clearwater Cafe, a seafood restaurant in Pasadena.

But restaurateurs say they were disappointed with the first three weeks of the tournament.

"The first part of the cup (series) was really not a bonanza whatsoever," Fink said. Regular customers were scared away by the press, which falsely reported gridlock on the city's streets and standing-room only at restaurants and bars, he said.

In reality, during the first two weeks of games, fans went to the Rose Bowl, watched the games and left the area, added Michael Hawkins, owner of the Green Street Restaurant in Pasadena and president of the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce

Then, during the third week there were no soccer games at the Rose Bowl, so regular patrons returned to the area and business was slightly higher than before, Fink said.

Overall, the first three weeks of the World Cup were a disappointment to restaurateurs in Old Town Pasadena, but the last week was a success, Hawkins said.

However, further away from the hub of activity, World Cup business was "not eve close to expectations" at David Slay's La Veranda in Beverly Hills.

His special World Cup promotions, which included much simpler dishes than those on the regular menu, were unsuccessful, Slay said, although the restaurant didn't lose money. La Veranda serves California-Italian food.

Actually, more people in town for the July 16 concert of tenors Jose Carreras, Placido Domingo and Luciano Pavorotti patronized La Veranda than did World Cup fans, Slay noted.

Meanwhile, Brazil mania has hit retail stores. The JC Penney outlet in Glendale sold 120 championship T-shirts July 18, the day after Brazil won the final, sai Bob Watanabe, business planning manager for JC Penney's L.A. region.

The T-shirts say "FIFA World Cup Champions of 1994, Brazil." FIFA stands for Federation Internationale de Football Association, which is the world soccer association.

Furthermore, Southland JC Penney stores reported sales of athletic apparel during the World Cup tourney were triple vs. a year earlier, Watanabe said.

Throughout the World Cup, "We could have sold probably anything that had the Brazilian flag on it," said Bill Ihle, spokesman for Los Angeles-based Broadway Stores Inc. Sales at Broadway stores "met expectations," he said.

Soccer Unlimited in Los Angeles also sold more Brazil team-related merchandise than that for any other team, said Manager George Mena. The World Cup "has been great for us" and sales met expectations, he said.

But merchandise representing teams that lost in the tourney's early rounds sat on the shelves.

"As soon as Colombia bounced out of the first round, the sales on Colombian products slowed down," Watanabe said. Colombia was eliminated in the first round.

"Obviously, I've got Colombia and Bulgaria (products) still here," added Brian Sandmark, a manager at Chick's Sporting Goods in Covina, where World Cup merchandise "sold well." Bulgaria was also eliminated in the first round.

Sandmark added that Chick's sold more World Cup merchandise sporting the U.S. team logo than any other team's.