LOYALTY SHOWS ALL OVER NORTH
ENTER any Townsville business this week and you will most likely be greeted by staff wearing blue and yellow.
And you’ll be lucky to be able to buy any North Queensland Cowboys merchandise with widespread scarcities reported days out from the team’s NRL grand final match against the Melbourne Storm.
Blue and yellow will be mandatory for Townsville residents and businesses throughout the week.
McDonald’s stores in Townsville are among the many businesses with Cowboys “fever”.
Janelle Doyle owns stores at Fairfield Waters, the Townsville CBD and North Ward.
She said an email had been sent to all stores encouraging staff to wear Cowboys gear.
“We want to get in the spirit and get behind the boys,” she said.
“We’ve been big supporters of the Cowboys and have Cowboys burgers for sale at the moment and 50c from each burger goes to the Ronald McDonald House Charity.”
She said the Cowboys and North Queenslanders had the same attitude: “We all have a stiff upper lip and get on with the job.
“That’s what they’ve done over the past three weeks and have really shown what the North Queensland spirit is about.”
Ms Doyle said she expected business across Townsville to get behind the team this week.
“Customers can expect to see blue and yellow around the place, but no purple,” she said.
Townsville Chamber of Commerce president Debbie Rains said the city was going into grand final “superdrive”.
She wore a Cowboys jersey in the office and sent a staff member to get blue and grey balloons as decorations for her business Escape Travel.
“She went down but there were no colours left,” Ms Rains said.
“It will be mandatory to wear blue and yellow. “It’s amazing to make another grand final and in such as a fairytale way.”
Ms Rains said the town was in a celebratory mood which was good for business.
“Townsville is a very town- proud city and we’re very proud of our Cowboys. It’s good for hospitality and food outlets as everyone will be gearing up for a party.”