Hollister Co. is a clothing store based in the United States under the management of Abercrombie & Fitch, Inc.. Hollister Co. is a concept that was formed on February 12, 2000.[citation needed] It is one of the four current Abercrombie & Fitch brands: Abercrombie & Fitch, Hollister Co., abercrombie Kids, and RUEHL No.925, which operate as separate retailers. The Hollister Co. brand is targeted towards ages 14-18. It is angled towards preps and is supposed to be the "California" style.
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, Abercrombie & Fitch 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. Abercrombie & Fitch asked the court to stop American Eagle from using the number and award compensatory and punitive damages.
Hollister's store layout is very similar to an Abercrombie & Fitch store. The entrance is designed to give off a West Coast, beach village feel. It is also supposed to portray the spirit and adventure of Southern California . 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 clay tile roofing, held up by beige, wooden poles. On each side of the boardwalk, there are two forms (mannequins without heads) dressed in Hollister Co. apparel. Entering the store, the west coast look continues on, with leather chairs placed around the store, and fragrances along side the chairs. The clothing is illuminated by dim lighting, as a part of the store's atmosphere. Loud music is also played during the store's business hours. Hollister Co. has a touch-screen computer system in the store, where customers can request the songs that are played in the store. Hollister Co.'s colognes are sprayed daily throughout the store, which may enhance the customer's sensory experience. Brown mesh lines the ceiling of the main room of the store, where the cash registers are located, in which a California and American flag are hung. Behind the cash registers are surfboard shelves, displaying the store's many different fragrances. Many of the logo T-shirts mention California beaches, and other popular American surfing destinations. Some stores offer live feeds of Surf City on side walls of the store to give a more California Beach feel.
www.HollisterCo.com 
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