Downtown State College businesses are ready for alumni and fans to inundate Happy Valley this homecoming weekend.

"The winning season doesn't hurt," said Glenn Barker, a sales associate at Rapid Transit Sports, 115 S. Allen St.

The Ohio State game broke records in sales across the board, Barker said, but this weekend will bring a different crowd into the store.

Alumni account for most of the sales during homecoming weekend, and alumni merchandise sells quickly, he said.

Mara Ryan, co-owner of Old State Clothing Co., 310 E. College Ave., agreed that alumni account for most of the sales, however, it is not merchandise that says "alumni" that always sells more.

"You sell some more specialty products than you would on a normal weekday," Ryan said.

Alumni buy a lot of merchandise for children and grandchildren, too, she said.

Hooded sweatshirts and T-shirts are the biggest sellers during homecoming for The Family Clothesline, 352 E. College Ave., sales associate Jessica Powell said. Making sure that those items are stocked sufficiently is their highest priority for big weekends like homecoming, she said.

Students and alumni were out yesterday afternoon taking advantage of the calm before the storm.

Chuck Sowers, Class of 1955, was out with his wife yesterday picking up some items at The Student Book Store, 330 E. College Ave. Sowers traveled to State College yesterday from his home in Florida, where he experienced Hurricane Wilma firsthand.

"We've had season tickets for 45 years," said Chuck Sowers, who played football at Penn State while he was a student. "I think [Joe] Paterno was a quarterbacks' coach then," he said.

Melissa Melnick (sophomore-crime, law and justice) and Sarah Friedman (sophomore-psychology) were shopping at the Family Clothesline yesterday.

"I've just always wanted one of these," Melnick said, holding up a "We're Back," long-sleeved T-shirt.

Friedman said she was looking forward to the homecoming parade because she will be on a float.

"Tomorrow's probably going to be insane," Friedman said.

Along with retail stores, local restaurants are also preparing for a large crowd this weekend.

Are U Hungry? Pizza and Grill, 111 Sowers St., is prepared for the football weekend after the experience of the Ohio State game, owner Alain Boujaoude said.

They have extra employees working but expect it to be slightly less busy than the Ohio State game weekend, he said.

Jennifer Hoag, director of operations for Dante's Restaurants Inc., a company that owns multiple downtown restaurants, has seen several homecoming weekends.

Hoag said they used to see more business earlier in the week, but the 3:30 p.m. start may cause fans to arrive in State College later.

Dante's restaurants are heavily staffed during the early evening, but "there are only so many people you can fit into a restaurant to work," she said.

They also are hoping for sales that will compare to one of the busiest weekends of the year, that of the Ohio State game, Hoag said.