By Kristie Schiefer
Staff Writer
Temperatures nearing 70 degrees, the emergence of green buds from freshly raked flowerbeds and shorts replacing winter coats means spring is around the corner. But for Olean residents, spring fever hasn’t been the only epidemic sweeping through local businesses.
St. Bonaventure students flocked to Nashville, Tenn. March 16 after an electric Atlantic 10 Men’s Basketball Championship weekend in Atlantic City, N.J.
Deep in the heartland of America, the St. Bonaventure men’s basketball team played in its first NCAA Tournament since 2000 on Friday, March 16.
Meanwhile, the women’s basketball team hit the road for Tallahassee, Fla. for its first NCAA tournament appearance in history March 18.
The outbreak causing residents, students and alumni to spend more money on St. Bonaventure apparel, food and drinks at local clothing stores and restaurants can be described as Bona Fever.
Anthony Fratercanglo, ’81, owner of Angees Fine Italian Food in Olean, planned ahead for the increase of fever-ridden fans.
“Customers are coming in and drinking and end up ordering appetizers,” he said. “We have been running specials. Both new customers and regulars come in to eat, and now they are having a few drinks and watching the games.”
Angees is a small, family-owned restaurant, according to Angees.com. So for Fratercanglo, a bar crowd of 20 was a lot.
And the weekend the Bonnies went dancing was no exception.
“It should be crazy,” he said preceding the weekend. “We already had people call in saying they were coming Friday for the game and asked what the specials would be. It should be as busy if not busier for St. Patty’s Day.”
Since attending games at age 6, Fratercanglo said he has always been a Bonnies fan. He built a trophy case that houses the rich history of Angees, along with pieces of the old St. Bonaventure gym floor signed by alumni.
A visit by WKBW 7 News in Buffalo to Angees and a subsequent appearance on television was nothing out of the ordinary for Fratercanglo.
“We get a lot of people like that in here,” Fratercanglo joked. “I hope it’s from our reputation.”
Even without his signed Andrew Nicholson jersey, he still rooted for Bona’s.
The two owners of Sports Locker, located on West State Street in Olean, joined the hundreds of tournament-hungry fans in Nashville, leaving manager Rose Crisafulli to watch over the store.
Crisafulli explained the rush for Bonaventure gear.
“We had to make batches of T-shirts several times; we keep selling out,” she said. “It’s been great for our business.”
That’s among the championships shirts and multitude of St. Bonaventure items that continue to sell.
“We made anything special in hundreds,” she said. “We made a special championship shirt for the men’s and women’s teams.”
Sports Locker has been selling other Bonaventure T-shirts as well, with brown being the color of choice.
Customers started purchasing gray items, along with pink and yellow, Crisafulli said.
A women’s line, sweatpants and crew necks are also available and flying off shelves.
“A lot of local businesses had ‘St. Bona’ day on March 16,” Crisafulli said.
“Businesses allowed employees to wear something Bona that day.”
After a salute with Bona flags to send off the men’s team to Nashville March 14, Crisafulli said she was unsure about the following weekend.
“A lot of people were in the store that were going to Nashville and wanted something for the game,” she said.
Crisafulli also caught her bosses’ Bona fever and supported the teams.
schiefkm10@bonaventure.edu
