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Southern California style comes to Soho (Cr. of Houston and Broadway) in the highly anticipated opening of Hollister – the kid ‘sister/brother’ of Abercrombie & Fitch today! And for this jaded merchant, I must admit – I got excited! A meandering pier takes the customer on an upward route through shabby chic beach huts (very glam beach huts, I must say!) that house the merchandise. Jeans, tees, sweaters and hoodies – are stacked up high – everywhere (a little repetitive for my liking!). A perfumery for the girls – and a separate one for the guys – adds much to this exciting concept. Under the pier (in the basement) of this 4 floor flagship (40,000 square feet) is casual attire perfect for the beach – with a whole range of bikinis for the girls and boardshorts for the guys.

But wait there’s more…..through the oversized ‘windows’ on every floor – are 77 live feeds of the surf – direct from Huntington Beach – giving one the feeling of actually being there!

The clothes – you may ask? Well, let’s just say they need a little work! Perfect for tourists that love American style – but for New Yorkers? The jury is out!

And for those of you that are interested – that’s Brian and Brandon at the front door – two ‘surfer dudes’ ready to greet you – and pose for a picture or two!