hollister

Hollister Co. is a clothing store based in the United States that is popular among young adults. The Hollister concept was formed by Abercrombie & Fitch on February 12, 2000 to compete with lower priced rivals like Aéropostale and American Eagle. The first store opened in July of 2000 at Easton Town Center in Columbus, Ohio. Hollister Co. is a wholly-owned subsidiary under Abercrombie & Fitch Management Co., which includes the lifestyle brands of Abercrombie & Fitch, abercrombie, and Ruehl no. 925. (J.M. Hollister LLC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Abercrombie & Fitch Stores, Inc.). Hollister opened its first international location in Toronto, Ontario.Hollister's symbol is the seagull.

History

Hollister Co. was not named after the city, Hollister, California nor does it have anything to do with the collection company JM Hollister Inc. that was established in 1963 in Fresno, California.

However, according to the label for Hollister Co.'s "Jake" cologne for men, the company is putting forth the idea that the store is named for its founder, a certain 'John Hollister' and that the cologne is named after his son Jake Hollister (who, judging from the verb tense, is presumably deceased): J.M. "Jake" Hollister, son of founder John Hollister, lived by his own rules. The champion surfer traveled the globe in search of the perfect wave. John named this fragrance after him in 1962. The essence of an eternally captivating spirit.

The story on the Jake label is semi-ficticious. According to the company's handbook, John M. Hollister is a fictitious sailor with a love of the South Pacific and the sea who traveled the world and ultimately settled in Santa Barbara, CA and in 1922 established the company in Laguna Beach as a vendor of South Pacific goods. His first son, John Jr., took over in 1953 and incorporated surf apparel and equipment. His younger brother Todd took over in 1977 after John Jr. died in a surfing accident and turned it into today's Hollister.

Although the company was actually established in 2000, Hollister Co. puts forth the date of its establishment as being 1922, and uses the number 22 on many of its goods. In May of 2002, Hollister officials sent a letter to rival brand American Eagle Outfitters accusing the company of using the number "22" on baseball caps and graphic T-shirts to confuse consumers into thinking they were getting Hollister goods. Specifically, the lawsuit charged American Eagle with trademark infringement and unfair competition, common law trade dress infringement and deceptive trade practices. Hollister asked the court to stop American Eagle from using the number and award compensatory and punitive damages. The suit was called ridiculous in the press ^{citation needed]} and was thrown out of court . In fact, a federal court has ruled at least three times in four years that Abercrombie cannot prevent American Eagle from selling clothes that resemble Abercrombie's.

Appearance

Hollister Co. store layout is much like an Abercrombie & Fitch store, with the entrance bearing a large poster to give the location a West Coast beach village feel. The entrance of the store is a teak wooden boardwalk leading into the men's ("Dudes") and women's ("Bettys") side of the store. Over the boardwalk is a clay tile roofing, held up by a few beige wooden poles. On each side of the boardwalk are two mannequins dressed in the latest Hollister Co. apparel. Entering the store, the worn look continues on, with leather chairs set around with the latest magazines sitting on nearby tables. The clothing is illuminated by dim lighting, as part of the store's ambient atmosphere. Hollister Co.'s cologne, "Jake," is sprayed daily throughout the store. Brown mesh lines the ceiling of the main room of the store, where the cash registers are located, on which a California and American flag hang. Behind the cash register are surfboard shelves displaying albums of the music played on the store's PA system, as well as surfing and other magazines. The store's ambiance is inspired in part by the style of its clothing. Many of the logo T-shirts mentions California beaches, and the overall vibe is that of a West Coast surfer.