Unlikely Retailer Celebrates Sales Milestone During 2006 Holiday Season

St. Louis, MO December 13, 2006 — The Crack Team sold its 10,000th branded t-shirt this week. A milestone for any small retailer, it is truly remarkable for a foundation repair company that never even intended to be in the apparel business. St. Louis-based The Crack Team, specializing in foundation crack repair since 1985, has locations nationwide. The retail division sells items featuring company mascot Mr. Happy Crack and his slogan, "A dry crack is a happy crack!"

Continued success of the Mr. Happy Crack line of gifts and apparel is a happy accident for The Crack Team. With each new franchise market, brand awareness grows. "It's inevitable that when a new location advertises, we get t-shirt orders from that area," says Bob Kodner, president of The Crack Team and mastermind behind the mascot. Articles in high-profile media like The Wall Street Journal and Stuff Magazine, and an appearance on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" drive sales, as well. "We get online apparel orders from around the country year-round, but this time of year is much more enjoyable for us. Phone orders increase because shoppers want to talk to someone about finding just the right gift. It's great to hear people's reactions when deciding which items to purchase," Kodner adds.

Mr. Happy Crack toilet paper, t-shirts, and boxers are among the biggest sellers, closely followed by hats and thongs.

The entire catalog of Mr. Happy Crack gifts and apparel is available online at www.mrhappycrack.com. To place an order, visit the website or call 866-HAPPY-CRACK. The Crack Team offers a variety of shipping options, making last-minute gift giving easy. For more information about The Crack Team, Mr. Happy Crack, or the line of gifts and apparel, contact Cary Goldwasser at 866-905-5200.

# # #