Stocking Up on Gremlins

When the Steven Spielberg film E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial opened in June 1982, retailers were caught unprepared for the ravenous public demand for E.T. playthings. This time, though, everything is in place for a merchandising bonanza from the summer Spielberg blockbusters Gremlins and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. More than 80 companies are cranking out millions of souvenirs ranging from sleeping bags to lunch pails emblazoned with characters from the two films. Such tony department stores as Saks Fifth Avenue and Lord & Taylor are touting the official Indiana Jones hat. The popularity of Gremlins is an unexpected windfall for Brown & Haley, a Tacoma, Wash., candymaker that for 35 years has been producing a product with the same name. Since the movie opened, Gremlins have been a sellout.