While the Chicago Bears managed to bring home their first division title since 1990, local fans will have a harder time bringing home team merchandise.

Few NFL teams were able to stop the NFC Central Champion Bears this season, but even fewer local stores have been able to keep Bears apparel on their shelves.

In light of the team’s recent success, area stores find themselves striving to keep up with customer demands of hats, T-shirts, sweatshirts, jackets and more that sport the Bears logo.

Nicci Ryan, senior customer service specialist at JCPenney in Mattoon, said that her store would have liked to receive more Bears merchandise, but it seems stores near Chicago enjoyed a home-field advantage.

“Since we are corporately owned, we have no say on how much merchandise we receive,” she said. “The stores near Chicago got the majority of the merchandise.”

Ryan said what few items JCPenney had are now gone. She also mentioned that Bears jerseys, while they lasted, were one of the most popular items.

Becky Smith, manager of the Wal-Mart in Charleston, mentioned that it is very difficult for her store to obtain more Bears merchandise.

“What we could get is gone,” she said. “And it is very hard to get more.”

Smith said when the store can keep them in stock, Wal-Mart sells Bears t-shirts, sweatshirts and hats.

If the Bears can keep winning, they may end up facing the St. Louis Rams in this year’s playoffs. It will be the first time the teams have met this year, but locally, the Bears and Rams have competing all year.

Nestled in Central Illinois, Charleston can be home to fans of both Chicago and St. Louis sports teams.

The Rams captured a Super Bowl title two seasons ago and have made the playoffs last year as well as this season. The Bears compiled a 13-3 record this season on the way to their first playoff appearance since the 1994 season.

However, while the Bears stand alone atop the NFC Central this season, local residents have not totally abandoned their Rams apparel. Ryan mentioned that the Rams’ merchandise still sells about as much as Bears’ merchandise.

“I’d say that sales between the two teams are almost equal,” Ryan said.

Mike Berlin, manager of Good Sports in Mattoon, said that his store also sells equal amounts of Bears and Rams apparel. He also mentioned that he did not purchase a lot of Bears merchandise this year because the Bears haven’t been successful for quite some time.

“We purchase more Rams apparel because they have been a good team for the past few years,” Berlin said. “But now we sell as much Bears merchandise as Rams merchandise.”

Next year, local residents may have an easier finding Bears merchandise. The Bears will move to Champaign while Soldier Field is renovated.

Berlin mentioned that he plans to purchase much more Bears apparel because the Bears will be playing downstate.

“Next year, our sales will probably increase even more because we are so close to Champaign,” he said.