Smells Like Teen Spirit – shopping in Seattle

Greater Seattle is the area that gave us Nirvana and their most famous song – ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’. On a mall visit to affluent Bellevue to the east of the city, I visited two US brands’ stores who are trying to appeal to teenage senses of smell and their wallets in equal measure.
Abercrombie & Fitch famously uses a branded scent which hits you even before you enter the store. Indeed, the shop is an assault on all the senses with the latest dance mixes blaring out and young hipsters slinking their way through across the floor.

Just down the mall and the sales associate in Hollister was busy spraying scent over the clothes to make that ultimate brand connection.

The entrance to the store is like a beach cabin with a branded surf board and ‘Dudes’ and ‘Betty’ signs denoting the respective men’s and women’s sections.

Lighting in the store is pretty sparse with large screens broadcasting live feeds from Californian surf beaches.
From a musical perspective, the choices were in keeping with their cool culture and a remix of Ellie Goulding’s Lights got numerous pairs of Converse tapping.

So while I found the sensory experience a little overpowering, the exchange rate was extremely favourable and I left with fewer dollar bills and heavy arms to carry my bags back to the hotel.

Written by Tom Jones