GREEN BAY — Lambeau Field isn't the only place filled with Packers excitement.
Not far from the stadium is a unique building that few Packers' fans even know about: the distribution center for all the orders on the Packers Pro Shop website. The building is likely one of the busiest places in Titletown as the football season begins.
"Well, we're starting to ramp up, because we're trying to bring all the product in that we'll sell throughout the season,” said Tim Schroeder, the Retail Distribution Center Manager.
Schroeder is overseeing workers who are busy sorting, folding, ticketing and packing. Workers even wrap merchandise in custom Packers paper.
"This is Christmas in August,” said Thompson Ibibo, who has worked at the center for about 10 years.
"It's a team effort,” said another employee, Tony Brunette. “We're just a different team.”
Brunette is on his eighth season at the distribution center.
"I started right after they won the Super Bowl, the last one so, holding out,” Brunette laughed.
It's a thrill to help get the latest gear into the hands of fellow Packers fans.
"This is something they love and you help foster that,” said Brunette. “I've done shipping to Europe, Australia."
"This time of year, we ship about 300 to 400 orders per day,” said Schroeder. “In our busiest time, we'll ship up to 3,000 per day."
The 50,000 square foot facility full of shoes, bobbleheads and crockpots.
“You can't imagine what they can throw a ‘G’ on,” said Brunette.
They even make custom jerseys in house.
“About 80% of our items are new each year,” Schroeder said.
A perk for these workers is that they get to see it before anyone else.
“Somebody will see something, somebody's checking in something and you go, ‘Oh what is that over there?’ You gotta go check it out,” said Brunette.
The retail distribution center does more than just fulfill online orders. They also keep the shelves stocked at novelty stands and the Packers' flagship store at the stadium, where you can find a $10,000 crystal helmet or the new hot merchandise this season, the 2019 sideline caps, and the Grub Tub that holds popcorn and soda.
The center ships about 175,000 packages every year. The manager says only two other NFL teams run their own online business the way the Packers do. Most teams hire online companies to do that work for them.
