Marshawn Lynch opens store on Las Vegas Strip

A new Beast Mode store from Marshawn Lynch has opened in Mandalay Bay, giving the former NFL star’s brand a fresh location in Las Vegas.

The lifestyle and athleisure brand of the longtime Seattle Seahawks running back opened Thursday at The Shoppes at Mandalay Place with scores of people waiting in line to be welcomed by Lynch.

Beast Mode sells Lynch-branded T-shirts, hats, sweatshirts and other apparel bearing signature Lynch sayings such as “I’m just here so I won’t get fined” and “Take Care of Yo’ Chicken.”

Seconds before fans and customers streamed into the store, Lynch walked in front of excited fans and yelled: “We open!”

Las Vegas resident Esteban Soto was in line outside Beast Mode’s new location an hour before opening. Soto said he’s been a Seattle Seahawks fan as long as he can remember. With just three people in line ahead of him, the 24-year-old donned a white Lynch jersey as he waited to catch a glimpse of his favorite player.

“I’ll probably buy any shirt or a hat to celebrate the occasion,” Soto said Thursday. “But I really just want to say hi and get a picture with the guy.”

Jeron Atlas and his girlfriend, Emma Pyke, were first in line. The couple had been there since 12:45 p.m. Thursday, waiting for the doors to open. Atlas and Pyke, both born into football fan families and lifelong Seahawks fans, are on vacation after finishing their first year at the University of Washington.

“We found out about this when we were walking by the other day,” Atlas said. “I couldn’t miss him.”

Atlas walked out of the store Thursday amid a throng of football fans with a T-shirt signed by Lynch.

The store is managed by Lynch’s sister, Mareesha Sapp-Lynch. She was the manager of Beast Mode’s first Las Vegas location in Town Square. That store closed in late 2019 in anticipation of Beast Mode’s new site at The Shoppes at Mandalay Place, Sapp-Lynch said.

The coronavirus pandemic pushed back the new store opening several months until Thursday’s grand opening, she added.

Beast Mode has locations in Oakland, California, and Seattle — Lynch played for both the Raiders and Seahawks — and an extensive online store. But there’s a reason they opened a store in this city, Sapp-Lynch said.

“So many people visit Las Vegas every day,” she said. “Not everybody goes to Oakland or Seattle. But at least once in your lifetime, you will come to Las Vegas. So it’s only right. He has a whole fan base that’s all over the United States. But they’re almost guaranteed to come here once.”

Sapp-Lynch said she expects more foot traffic and fans at Beast Mode’s new Mandalay Bay location with the mall-like atmosphere, a Raiders store nearby and Allegiant Stadium within walking distance.

The former NFL star announced in March that he’ll host the first “Beastmode Experience” in Las Vegas Sept. 10-13 in celebration of the opening of the NFL season. The event will include a tailgate, a Madden NFL video game tournament, club takeover and a viewing party, among other events.

Lynch last played in the NFL in 2019 for the Seahawks. Over a 12-year career, Lynch rushed for more than 10,000 yards and 85 touchdowns during stints with the Seahawks, Buffalo Bills and the Raiders in Oakland.

Contact Dylan Svoboda at dsvoboda@reviewjournal.com. Follow @dylanksvoboda on Twitter.