Abercrombie & Fitch, King St., Charleston, S.C.
Why, I ask you, why is this shop allowed to poison our main shopping district with the smell of perfume so strong it hurts your nose just to walk by? I can't imagine the effect it must have on the employees who work there. I've tried a couple of times through the years to cross the threshold but turn right back. I'm not alone. There are other pages of complaints online so they obviously know it's an issue.
Here is an article about a group of teens protesting the smell in their area.
I found this quote about the way they pump the perfume into the air:
Abercrombie said it's spent more than $3 million on scent machines to pump its Fierce fragrance through its stores — meaning that they've been committing the olfactory equivalent of subliminal messaging while you're shopping.
Aaack! It would be one thing if the smell was contained behind closed doors but they leave them flung wide open and the smell is so overpowering even crossing the street doesn't help.
10 comments:
Interesting. I believe that they also are being sued because they only hire pretty people. Leaves me out. . . : - )
I hate when they try to use my picture in their underwear ads without my permission!
Frankly, I don't know why A & F is even allowed on King Street at all. King Street now is just another mall full of mediocre retail outlets with no more connection to Charleston than the Mall of America. I grew up with Kerrison's and Condon's, RoBertson's Cafeteria, Harold's Cabin. I MISS the old Charleston that was "too poor to paint, but too proud to whitewash". And all the stores on King Street were local, and not mass merchants catering to the common denominator.
bfarr - Hmmm....they haven't offered me a job either.
Chuck - You crack me up!
Anon - Sadly big chains are the only ones that can afford the rent on lower King. Landlords looking for the highest buck did that to us.
I don't have anything clever to say but I TOTALLY agree with your comments! I literally turn my head when I pass by - as if it is too offensive to even LOOK at the storefront! Oh yeah, and the smell...BTW who is even wearing those clothes? I have 4 children and none of them would be caught dead wearing A&F?!
I'd never shop there even if they didn't stink up the place with perfume. I detest those snobby prep-school stores. Gimme a pair of good old Levi's any day.
Arrogant aggression from this store. Make every skillful effort to return the street to its gentle grandeur and Southern flair.
Jeanne - I'm pretty tolerant but I don't appreciate them making it painful to even walk by.
Marcheline - Amen.
johnprince - I feel the same about any store that blasts their music outside. Do whatever you want inside but leave me alone on the street.
We were in Charleston last week and I was amazed both by how strong the smell was that was coming out of A&F, as well as the fact that the heat index was over 100 that day and they had the doors flung wide open, allowing cool air to blast out onto the sidewalk. I didn't mind the 3 seconds of cool as I walked by, but I couldn't help but wonder what that does to their electric bill!!
Some people love the smell of A&F and it all depends on what appeals to you for those of us who love to shop there the people who "keep their doors open" the smell is a part of the experience it would not be the same with out it.
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