In a storefront window on College Avenue, there hangs a digital clock, perpetually counting down — days, hours, minutes and seconds — to a time awaited by Nittany Lions football fans across the country.

Actually, the countdown clock that normally greets passersby from inside the Student Book Store, 330 E. College Ave., has temporarily made way for photos of the nation's governors. However, much like the Lions to which the clock counts down their first game, the return is inevitable.

And fans aren't the only ones who can't wait for it to read all zeroes.

For local businesses, the Penn State football season doesn't just mean excitement, pageantry, and tradition — it means big money.

Rabid football fans descend on Happy Valley in the tens of thousands every home game weekend. Almost all of them come not only for a rousing game, but also for the chance to eat, drink and shop the college town experience.

Most of these people — from wide-eyed kids seeing their first game to faithful alumni who haven't missed one in years — find their way to the downtown area just off campus.

These huge crowds, which envelop State College on the six or seven football weekends of each year, make a dramatic impact on the town's economy. For the many businesses that depend on the university, football means their livelihood.

Ray Agostinelli, an owner of McLanahan's Student Store, 414 E. College Ave, said of football's importance, "On a scale of one to '10,' I'd rate it a '10.' "

Football weekends are so crucial to annual business, that many local businesspeople liken it to a certain holiday.

"It's our Christmas season," said Norm Brown, general manager of the SBS.

With so many people coming through the area and only a few weekends to make their business count, local establishments take a variety of special steps to prepare.

Agostinelli and Brown said both McLanahan's and the SBS hire extra student employees, many of whom only work during the football weekends, to help handle the crowds.

In addition, both stores stock additional merchandise, especially Penn State-themed items of all sorts, offer special discounts, and step up advertising on radio, television, and in newspapers.

David Weaver, general manager of The Corner Room, 100 W. College Ave., said his restaurant starts hiring two weeks before the Fall Semester starts, with football weekends mandatory.

Weaver said the effects of football fever are the main reason they do most of their business in the fall.

"People think football, they think Penn State, so you see a lot alumni reunions and things like that around that time too," he said.

He added The Corner Room runs breakfast buffets on Saturday and Sunday during football weekends to speed up service.

Businesses don't stop at hiring extra workers and stocking more goods when trying to attract customers though. They get into the football spirit by running all sorts of promotions, with perhaps none more visible than those of the SBS, the self-called "Big Blue on the Corner."

Brown said SBS has been running its special events for about 10 years.

The marketing blitz begins Friday afternoons and goes full force into Sunday. Travelers on College Avenue can pick up free Penn State signs and posters as well as the famous game day Mellon Bank pins that bear a different catch phrase for each opponent.

"We start selling those on Friday after lunch, and by noon Saturday, all 10,000 are gone," Brown said.

Some of the other weekend attractions at SBS during game weekends include performances by the Penn State groups such as the dance team, cheerleaders, Singing Lions and the Blue Band.

SBS also features appearances by ex-players, and a live broadcast of the "WRSC Sports Line" program Friday evening.

All sorts of Penn State merchandise flies off the shelves during these weekends, as fans search for that perfect way to show their allegiance to the Blue and White.

Both Agostinelli and Brown said Penn State and Lions athletic apparel are always in demand.

Agostinelli added that novelty items, such as license plates, stickers, and paw magnets, consistently rank as the biggest sellers at McLanahan's.

Brown said some the items exclusive to the SBS, such as the cardboard, stand-up Joe Paterno and JoePa beanie baby, are among top sellers as well.

To some degree, the fortunes of the football team dictate the payoff at the cash register.

The general consensus among business owners seems to be that business is just a little better when things are going well for the Lions.

"Flags are our biggest seller when the team is having a good season," Agostinell said. "But if they lose a couple games, you see that start to drop off a little."

Brown agreed that a good team equals good business, using the preseason hype surrounding last year's team as an example.

"It's free publicity," he said.

State College's local retailers play a role in developing the atmosphere on game days, and for them, it's not just a chance to do business, but to be involved in something they feel is special.

"It's a fun weekend," Brown said. "We enjoy it."

For Brown, that clock can't count down fast enough.