Thaindian News

July 2 (THAINDIAN NEWS) The 40,000 square foot Hollister store in Soho New York has been closed because of a bedbug infestation of massive proportions. The huge store, which is well known for it’s teenage beach fashions and male greeters with no shirts was forced to close the door on Wednesday after the employees suffered for almost three weeks from insect bites.

According to the Gothamist, an employee and a store manager reported the infestation to Hollister almost three weeks ago. No action was taken by the company, and the employees were forced to continue working although more and more bugs were being reported. On Tuesday June 29, one employee, a live model, found a live bug had bitten her and also noted that there was an exoskeleton on the clothing she was wearing from Hollister.

A fellow employee finally wrote to the Gothamist about the problem, and sent an email which stated, “On Tuesday the 29th, an employee found that she had been bitten, and also found a live bedbug and an exoskeleton on her borrowed Hollister outfit. All of the employees were forced to continue working even though more and more bugs were being discovered.”

The store did not close until the Wednesday, yet the shirtless greeters were still there working, standing at their post to turn customers away and reassure them that the store will reopen in a few days. Although the sign outside says that the store is closed for “maintenance”, a spokesperson for Hollister confirmed that they are taking care of the bedbug problem.

Bedbugs are tiny, blood sucking parasites which feed on human blood, but can live up to a year between feeding. They are very hard to get rid of, since they can remain dormant for quite some time. They are hard to kill, live in fabric, bedding, and clothing. Since the manifestation has grown so large and was ignored for so long, it is possible that it could spread to nearby stores, as well as to the homes of the employees, and anyone who may have purchased clothing which could have been infested.

As far as Hollister is concerned, The Wall Street Journal speculates that the company, which is owned by Abercrombie, could be facing a huge class action lawsuit soon if any of the merchandise which was sold to customers was infested, or if the store’s infestation spreads.