Apolo Anton Ohno - Got Apolo? [where's your soul patch?]

This page is one of the older ones on the site... back in the early days of Apolo fandom (back in 2002!), there was a new line of glasses carried at Sunglass Hut, and Apolo was a model for the shades. I got some e-mails from people telling me their crazy experiences trying to get the posters with Apolo on them, and since this page was created before the Forums began, I created a section where people could send in submissions of their stories.

[Original Header] Have you ever tried to get a Sunglass Hut poster? Yeah, you know the ones...the ones with Apolo in those majorly cool Mojo sunglasses. Well, if you have, get ready for some laughs. Here are some others stories by fellow poster-seekers. Send in your personal Sunglass Hut story. If you're like me and don't have a Sunglass Hut around, sit back and be amused.

Vanessa Chan:
Here's my story...
When I went shopping with my friends on a Friday, we passed a Sunglass Hut and I decided to ask just for the heck of it. The first thing I asked was "I was just wondering what you do with the Nike posters when you're done with them?"
The guy who worked there said "We just throw them out."
I asked "Do you think I can have one when you're done with them??"
Sunglass Hut guy: "Sure, just come back in about two weeks when the promotion is over!"
The next day I went to a different Sunglass Hut and asked the exact same thing. The guy rudely said, "Sorry I'm not allowed to do that".....stupid guy!!!!
Anyway, on Monday I decided to go back to the first Sunglass Hut and asked them to call me when they were done. The same guy I talked to before recognized me......he said, "No, just come back next week but I can guarantee that I'll have them for you." I guess he said that because just in case someone threw them out or he'll forget........As I was walking away he asked me "You like him, don't you???"
I blushed and said, "Yes."
I went the next week and the guy's like "Yeah, yeah, I know why you're here" He recognized me again...He probably thinks I'm crazy.......he gave me the posters...........
Note: I went back a couple of weeks later to ask for the watch promotion posters and the same guy said, "Didn't I give you a poster already?????"

Carmel:
This is going to be long. . . We have two different Sunglass Huts so I went to both of them. One of them told me I had to check back with the manager the next day and the other one told me the same but they gave me the manager's name. So I called both the next day during my lunch period and only got through to one place. She (the manager) told me that she needed to hear back from the distribution company to find out and to come back in a couple weeks. So no luck there. I went to my mom for some help. Afterschool we both went to both Sunglass Huts. Adults usually get more respect when it comes to these things then a teenage girl would so I figured she'd have more luck. SCORE! She told the manager she wanted to get it for my birthday and we got one of the smaller ones. Plus, she told us to give her a call in a couple weeks one of the big plexi-glass ones. The other place sucked. They said that they are not allowed to give them out and that they had to send them back. So I was EXTREMELY excited about getting the one picture and I had my mom call them repeatedly for the bigger one. A problem happened there. The manager who was our contact was being moved to a new location so we wouldn't be able to get the poster. The new manager had already taken inventory and knew that it would be gone. I was sooo bummed. I knew I should have been happy that I got the one but I got so excited about the bigger one. Then. . .my birthday roles along. I turned 18 so my aunt took me to the Indian casino nearby that morning. When we get home, hanging in our living room (framed) was the Apolo poster (the big plexi-glass one). My mouth dropped and I stood still for like a minute before I screamed and started jumping. Now, a couple weeks after my birthday, it's still hanging in the living room between our two Nagels. I'm bringing it with me when I go to college in the fall =) Well. . .I told you this was long. Hope I didn't bore you when you read it.

Becca:
Hey! I was reading your post on the ApoloAntonOhnoConnection Yahoo! Group, and I totally have a story to share. Ok, here goes... So during the Olympics I totally fell in love w/ AAO (who didn't?!) Then I found out that Sunglass Hut had displays of him hanging in their store... SCORE! I made it a point to call every single Sunglass Hut around me (it was only 2, haha) and ask if/when they were taking down their ads, and if I could have them. I called one of the malls, and the guy told me that yes, I could have them when they took them down. He said he wasn't sure when they would take them down, but I should keep calling back to find out. Ok, 1 down, 1 to go. I didn't call the second place, I went there. I walked in, and I walk up to the front desk. I say... "Ummmm, excuse me, I have a weird question to ask you... do you think it would be possible if I could have the Apolo Anton Ohno posters when you get done w/ them?" The lady said that there were a lot of people calling and asking to have them, so she secretly slips me one right then and there, and I walked out. I was SO excited! So I call back the other place a little while later, and the guy told me that there were like, 2 left, and I was on the waiting list. I thought to myself, nice, this is a good deal. He told me I could come in at the end of the week and get some. Ok, so later that week I go... I walk in and I was like "Hi, my name is Becky, I called earlier and I'm on a waiting list for the Apolo ads." He looked at me and says, "Really? Oh, I'm sorry, someone by the name of Becky already came in here and took them... I'm really sorry." I just stared at him and I started to get tears in my eyes. He goes "Oh my gosh, you're crying, I'm just kidding!! Don't cry!" I was so mad I was on the verge of kicking him, lol. So he goes back, and brings out one of the HUGE plastic posters, ya know, the ones where you put it up to the light and it gets brighter. Yea, so I got one of those, and a small little one to put up in my locker. Now, I call my friends Ashley and Lauren up, and I ask them to go to the other place I went to earlier that last week to get more posters for me. Later that day they call me back and tell me that they talked to a guy from there, and he said that they could have the HUUUUGE display part. Ya know, the 4-piece ad they covers the whole entire wall. I was SO excited when they told me that, I could hardly wait to get it. He took down Ashley's number and said that when they're done w/ it, he'd call her and she'd get it. Ok, so a few weeks pass, and I decide to call the place up and ask if I could have it b/c they hadn't called Ashley yet. The lady said to me "You know it's 4 large separate pieces, right?" I said yes, that's exactly what I wanted. She said I could come in later that night to get it. By this time, I was like, peeing my pants I was so happy. I go in later that night, and a guy was working, the lady I had talked to was gone. I told him who I was, and he said that the lady told him I was coming in, and he went back to get my posters. He comes out w/ about 10 of the regular size posters, and I told him that that wasn't what I wanted, it was the huge display from on the wall I was after. He told me that it wasn't in the back, and he didn't know where it was, he hadn't seen it. I walk out of the store like, crying, b/c I was so disappointed (I did get about 10 posters though!). I call back the next day to talk to the lady I talked to before, and she told me that she had left it in the back room for him to give to me, and that he must have taken them home for himself b/c he's mean like that. I was SOOOOOOOOOOO incredibly mad, but in my head I thought to myself that she was the one who took them home. I don't know why I thought that, but it was just this feeling I had. So I didn't get my big huge display... sadly enough. And the guy never called Ashley, either. That's basically my story... even though I didn't get my big display, I got about 12 different posters, so it's alright. That's more than most people have, so I'm happy... and in June I am going to the Chicago Sports Fest to meet Apolo... I'm thinking of bringing a few along to get signed... we'll see. :o)

Steph:
I wanted those Nike posters SOOO bad, so after I read one of the other girl's story on the message board, I went to Yahoo Yellow Pages and typed in "Sunglass Hut," and I got a bunch of results. I called every Sunglass Hut store I could find by my house... The first one, nobody picked up the phone… I tried calling 3 times, still no answer…The second store, somebody picked up: Me: Hi, I was wondering if you still have those posters of Apolo Ohno…Salesperson: Who?!?! Me: You know, Apolo Ohno, the speed skater? SP: Oh those? Yeah... we do have them… Me: Ummm… I was wondering if maybe I could have them once you're done with it SP: Well, I can't give it away now, but you can call again in the middle of March when the manager is here, K? Me: OK… thanks anyways…
I was VERY disappointed, so I called another store: Me: Hi, do u have the Apolo Ohno Nike posters? Nicole (manager of the store): *laughs* Yes we do actually... we have these 4 big ones, and you have to put them in front of lights,
these 2 small ones.... blah blah blah Me: OMG... I've been looking ALL over for them! Can I have them when you're done, please please please? Nicole: *laughs* yeah, of course! Me: OMG THANK YOU SOOO MUCH! He's cute, isn't he? Nicole: I have to agree with you, he's GORGEOUS! But, I'm gonna bring one home for myself... and you can have the rest! Me: OMG I think I'm gonna cry! THANK YOU SOOO MUCH! Nicole: No prob! A LOT of people have been asking for them actually, even my friends have some to the store and asked for them, but I didn't give them any! You sound so cute, so, I've gotta give you
something *laughs* Me: OMG... thank you sooo much! When should I pick them up? Nicole: Just come whenever you can... lemme have your name and number... You can come next Saturday because we're gonna pull down the posters that week, and you can have them then... I'll be there... BTW, I'm Nicole, the manager of the store... Me: THANK YOU SOOO MUCH NICOLE! I LOVE YOU!!! Nicole: *laughs* No prob! Me: All right... again, thanks a bunch! I'll come on Saturday! Nicole: All right, bye! Me: Bye! *hangs the phone and SCREAAAMMMMM!!!!!!!*
*Sigh...* I'm SOOO HAPPY! She's SO nice! I can't believe I'm so lucky! OMG... I'm gonna scream again... lol... Anyways, I just hope u guys have the same luck!!

Linda Jellison:
I stopped in at the Sunglass Hut at my local mall & asked about the posters when they were still displayed in the store, and was given the same story as everyone else - "we'll see what happens with them when the promotion is over, check back in about 2 weeks". So I called & got my name on the waiting list. On March 16, I had driven to Seattle to see Apolo at the Westlake Center on Apolo Anton Ohno Day, which was very cool! When I got home after a 4 hour drive, I had a voicemail from Sunglass Hut that the posters were available, so I needed to call since it was first come, first served! I called right away and the girl said I was the only one who had called back!! So I rushed right over to the mall to get my poster! YESSS!!! Also that same day I received the copy of Apolo's favorite book, "The Way of the Peaceful Warrior" by Dan Millman, that I had ordered from Amazon.com. So it was definitely, for sure...Apolo Anton Ohno day for me!!