TBM Staff - Mumbai Sylvester Stallone made a special appearance at the grand opening of the Rocky Shop within the Parkway Visitor Center on December 3. This exclusive physical store is the sole destination for fans to purchase licensed apparel and souvenirs from the iconic Rocky franchise, authorized solely by Sly Stallone Shop, Sylvester Stallone’s official brand.
The event, hosted collaboratively by the Visitor Center, VISIT PHILADELPHIA®, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art, included a City of Philadelphia resolution declaring December 3 as “Rocky Day” in the city. The celebration marked the 47th anniversary of the original premiere of Rocky in 1976.
“This day is an amazing day for me and the people who have taken Rocky into their hearts,” said Sylvester Stallone, Academy Award-nominated actor and screenwriter and Golden Globe Award-winning actor. “When I come to Philly and stand on the steps, it touches my soul like it did when I was a child. This is a very special place in a very special city… Believe me, there’s no other place like it in the world!”
“This film and this character are beloved worldwide, providing an immediate and emotional connection to Philadelphia – thus connecting us to the world. It has become part of our brand. There is something wonderful about walking near the incredible Philadelphia Museum of Art and seeing people running up these steps, turning around at the top, and raising their arms in triumph. We see it every day, all day, all year round,” said Gregg Caren, President and CEO, Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau. “We embrace Rocky as part of our own story, as part of who we are as a city, and as part of what we give to the world. Philadelphia, as the iconic home to this iconic character called Rocky, gives people a sense of hope, a belief in the impossible, and an opportunity to see themselves as unlikely heroes and champions.”
The Rocky Shop offers an assortment of licensed merchandise from the Sly Stallone Shop, including the Rocky II Tiger Jacket; Rocky III Italian Stallion Training Jacket; Rocky II Boxing Trunks; Rocky III Yellow Boxing Trunks; Rocky III Italian Stallion Boxing Robe; Rocky IV Stars and Stripes Boxing Trunks; Rocky IV Balboa Boxing Robe; Rocky Philadelphia T-Shirts; Rocky Hats; and additional souvenir items such as collectibles and photo frames. Select items were available for visitors who attended the grand opening event at a satellite Rocky Shop location on The Oval.
The Rocky Shop and The Parkway Visitor Center Outpost have been generously supported by Stallone, along with contributions from The Pew Charitable Trusts, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED), the Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau, VISIT PHILADELPHIA®, and the Philadelphia Visitor Center Corporation.
