Hollister Co.
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| Hollister Co. | |
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| Type | Corporation |
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| Founded | February 12, 2000 |
| Headquarters | New Albany, Ohio, USA |
| Parent | Abercrombie & Fitch Co. |
| Website | www.hollisterco.com |
Hollister Co. is a clothing store based in the United States under the management of Abercrombie & Fitch. Hollister Co. was a concept formed on February 12, 2000, and is Abercrombie & Fitch's third to last concept chain, that also happens to be the best selling chain of the entire company.
Hollister Co. fits into the (as of 2006) four Abercrombie & Fitch brands that the company owns. These brands operate as seperate retailers, so that the company can selectively target certain ages as their demographics. abercrombie Kids is the entrance franchise, targeting kids ages 7-14. Hollister Co. then targets High School students ages 14-18. Abercrombie & Fitch, the company's flagship brand, reaches out to College students ages 18-22. RUEHL No.925 is aimed towards "post-college consumers."
" Inspired by the sun-drenched spirit of California, and the surf and soul of the Pacific Ocean, Hollister is a laid-back, aspirational lifestyle destination for guys and girls aged 14-18. West Coast attitude and colorful sportswear inspired by a life near the beach create a sexy pacific vibe perfect for the coolest kids in every high school. The Hollister Kids. Beautiful, carefree, and undeniably popular, they are admired and adored by every one of their peers, they are the epitome of California cool."
- Official Abercrombie & Fitch Description of Hollister Co.[1]
Hollister's main competitors are American Eagle Outfitters, Aéropostale, who both sell similarly priced goods to the same general audience.
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[edit] 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. JM Hollister Inc. is also commonly visited by teens.
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 him (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 products. 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.
[edit] 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 stores fragrances along side the chairs. The clothing is illuminated by dim lighting, as part of the store's ambient atmosphere. Loud music, is also played at all times of the store's business hours. Hollister Co.'s colognes, "HCO 22" and "Jake" are 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 the stores many different fragrances. 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.
[edit] External Links
[edit] References
- ^ http://www.abercrombie.com/anf/hr/jobs/careers.html > Brands > Hollister Co.
| Abercrombie & Fitch Co. Brands | |
|---|---|
| Brands | Abercrombie & Fitch | abercrombie | Hollister Co. | RUEHL No.925 | CONCEPT 5 |
| Other | A&F Quarterly | Limited Brands | Mike Jeffries |
| Homepages (respectively from brands) | abercrombie.com | abercrombiekids.com | hollisterco.com | ruehl925.com |
| Corporate | NYSE: ANF | Revenue:  $12.784 billion | Employees: ≈ 56,900 |
