First store with official papal visit merchandise opens

CENTER CITY -- If you've been wondering where you can get an official bobblehead doll of Pope Francis, your wait is over.

A store dedicated to papal visit merchandise store opened in the lobby of Philadelphia's Aramark Tower, located at 11th and Market.

It's the first pop-up store selling official World Meeting of Families merchandise and papal souvenirs.

They have Pope Francis bobblehead dolls, and cuddly plush pope dolls, along with everything else you can imagine.

Prices range from $5 for a pope medallion to $70 for half-zip pullovers.

They're not in yet, but they'll also be selling crystal rosary beads for $200.

The World Meeting of Families isn't saying how much they expect to raise with all this merchandise, but they say it will help defray the enormous expense of the enterprise.

"We have announced a fundraising goal of $45 million. Our last announcement was that we are at $30 million. We still have a ways to go, but we are in really good shape," said Donna Crilley Farrell, the executive director of the World Meeting of Families.

Matt Robinson chipped in $80. He was the first customer and bought two golf shirts at $40 apiece.

"I was across the street getting my passes for the papal visit and I happened to be walking down the street and the door was open, it was 10:00, so I decided to come in," he said.

Right now, this is the only location to buy the merchandise, but there will eventually be others.

Pop up stores will be at the Convention Center, and at the papal events along the Ben Franklin Parkway and at Independence Mall.

A lot of knock-off merchandise has been on the streets already for weeks, but this is the official stuff.

"This is America, it's a free market economy and I salute some of the creativity we've seen in some of these, but this is the only official retail merchandise," said Farrell.

You can also find the official merchandise for sale now on the World Meeting of Families website at Shop.WorldMeeting2015.org