Hollister, it’s everywhere you turn
Hollister, California
… According to Yahoo Maps it’s 2,808 miles from Orlando, Florida
– the home of Walt Disney World. Not exactly a distance where you’d
expect to see people wearing T-shirt after T-shirt that read
”
Hollister
”
or
”
Hollister, California
”
in bold letters on the front.
Hollister, it’s everywhere you turn
Hollister, California… According to Yahoo Maps it’s 2,808 miles from Orlando, Florida – the home of Walt Disney World. Not exactly a distance where you’d expect to see people wearing T-shirt after T-shirt that read “Hollister” or “Hollister, California” in bold letters on the front.
But that’s exactly what I saw everywhere I went while on vacation in the southernmost state in the United States that’s hot and humid, and equally known for its hurricanes as it is for its oranges.
I couldn’t believe it; the name Hollister was everywhere I turned. I’d say one person in a 100 was wearing a T-shirt with the words Hollister on it.
One person in a 100 people comes up and awful lot when you’re walking around packed amusement parks like the Magic Kingdom and Epcot.
Just waiting in line to ride the Pirates of the Caribbean, for example, I probably saw seven different “Hollister, California” shirts.
Not exactly known for my fashion sense, I was oblivious to this Southern-California line of clothing that’s geared toward surfers and skateboarders that just so happen to use our city’s name.
But now I know that someone, who must have had a master’s degree in marketing, has made a clothing empire using the namesake of our small city.
Seeing the word Hollister everywhere I turned wasn’t exactly the best thing for a guy trying to get his mind off work.
Just picture it. Here I am two plane flights and nearly 3,000 miles away from home trying to relax and forget about writing for a week and everywhere I turn I see Hollister, Hollister, Hollister.
It made me think about what my colleagues were doing more than I ever do during a regular workweek. I’d see a shirt and think, “right about now they are all on deadline,” etc, etc.
It was weird, too, because here were these young adults/kids that came from all over the country, ranging in age from 12 to 26, with bold, loud T-shirts proclaiming the greatness of Hollister.
Just like the OP (Ocean Pacific) shirts of some 25 years ago that everyone had to wear, or Vans, which are still popular, Hollister clothing is the new fashion craze.
The first few people I saw with the shirt on I approached as if they were my neighbors, only to learn one was from Michigan and the other from Florida. Here I am thinking it’s such A Small World and that they must have attended San Benito High – what an idiot!
It’s funny, here we are in good old Hollister, located on Highway 25 – some 45 minutes from any beach and surrounded by acres and acres of farmland and these kids are proudly wearing a shirt with the Hollister name thinking that they are oozing the trend-setting California lifestyle that’s personified by Hollywood.
Talk about getting an A+ in marketing!
Half the young adults in America probably think this is the coolest city in the state. I wonder if tourism here has actually gone up?
I started to think that if they knew I was the sports editor of this “hip,” “cool” California city they’d probably want my autograph. The younger ones might even have me sign their autograph book right next to Mickey’s.
Since San Benito High is right up the road, I assumed the shirts were being worn by Baler students, athletes and supporters of the school.
Now I know differently.
In fact, during my stay at the 27,000-acre resort, which really isn’t any better than our park in Anaheim by the way, the word Hollister played second fiddle only to shirts with Mickey Mouse and the other Disney characters. And that’s saying a lot, believe me.
Morgan Hill might have its mushrooms and Gilroy its garlic but Hollister clearly has fashion sense from here to Fantasyland and beyond.
