Tina and Milo Plush Mascots Sell Out Across Milan

The clerk at the Olympic gift shop leaned in and whispered that the stuffed toy I had asked about — Tina, the Winter Games mascot — was sold out everywhere. He shot furtive glances around the store, then told me: "Come back at 4 p.m." He repeated, "Bring cash." Fans have fallen hard for the mascots: Tina, a white stoat, and Milo, her brown counterpart for the Paralympics.

The toys, offered in four sizes and priced from 18 to 58 euros ($21 to $69), have been generally unavailable at official shops and competition venues, and the online store has been picked over. "I can’t find them anywhere in Milan," said Reed Alvarado, who called their appeal a "cuteness factor" and said, "They almost have a Pokémon quality." Organizers framed the scarcity as evidence of enthusiasm.

"A great example of the great enthusiasm and excitement surrounding the Games," said Luca Casassa of the local committee.

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