Clue 1 · The Basics
U.S. specialty retailer · sells clothing and apparel · listed on the NYSE · headquartered in Ohio.
Clue 2 · The Numbers
Annual revenue roughly $4 billion, with a remarkable comeback story — shares rose over 500% between 2022 and 2024 after years in the wilderness.
Clue 3 · The History
Founded way back in 1892 as an outdoor sporting goods outfitter — think hunting and fishing — before reinventing itself as a teen fashion brand a century later.
Clue 4 · The Secret
Its former CEO became infamous for saying he only wanted attractive, cool kids wearing the brand — a PR disaster that helped tank the stock for nearly a decade.
Clue 5 · The Lore
At its peak in the 2000s, its stores were famous for dim lighting, thumping music, and shirtless male models greeting you at the door — a vibe that aged about as well as low-rise jeans.
Clue 6 · The Giveaway
The moose logo, the Hollister sister brand, and a flagship on Fifth Avenue that used to spray cologne on shoppers whether they liked it or not.