Several employees at souvenir shops in Chinatown said that the shirts were a relatively recent addition. They started carrying them after noticing their popularity at stores in Little Italy. One employee at a Chinatown gift shop said that the store started carrying the “Daddy’s Little Meatball” shirt just two months ago. It has sold “Mommy’s Little Meatball” for the past couple of years, he said, but he has noticed sales for both increasing this summer. Ajit Biswas, who works at a gift shop on Canal Street, said that the store sold about 10 to 15 of the shirts every day, adding that “Mommy’s Little Meatball” is the more popular option.

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Persons: Scalise, ”, “, ” Marcel Danesi, Ajit Biswas Organizations: University of Toronto Locations: Chinatown, Little Italy