The Traveling Wheelchair

2 Galleria Mall Drive
Taunton, Massachusetts 02780
Phone: 508-822-2536
http://www.hollisterco.com/

Yesterday, Kellie, Kevin and I headed out to Silver City Galleria to do some Christmas shopping. I really wanted to buy my good friend Douglas a shirt from Hollister Co. because he loves their style of clothing and their clothes look great on him. Hollister Co. is an American store owned by Abercrombie & Fitch Co.

This Hollister Co. at Silver City Mall and other Hollister Co. stores I’ve been to are NOT wheelchair friendly or accessible; due to the steps at the main entrance; an unmarked segregated accessible door; and a cluttered interior with little to no room to maneuver my chair.

It amazes me that Hollister Co. is allowed to rent retail space in malls that was once equally accessible and turn it into an inaccessible store by placing steps at the entrance. I’ve been told it is Hollister Co.’s “signature style of construction to include steps to a porch-like entrance”. I guess Hollister Co. and Abercrombie & Fitch Co. must think steps are cool :-( Most other businesses are removing barriers, not creating barriers!

The front entrance of this Hollister Co. like most other Hollister Co. stores I’ve been to have steps leading to a sitting area. There is a side door that is NOT marked as wheelchair accessible; yet if you get close enough you will see a small automatic push button door opener with a small engraved wheelchair access symbol on it next to the door.

I pushed the automatic button and the door opened right up. Kevin pushed my manual chair inside. Once inside I found myself surrounded by clutter that blocked access; I saw there are two small steps leading to the front sitting area. Therefore this sitting area is NOT accessible from inside the store or from the main entrance.

I found I could NOT access most of the clothing in this store. All the displays of clothes are cluttered on tables or hangers throughout the store with little to no space to maneuver my chair; all the aisles along the side walls are way too narrow to fit my chair; Kevin my friend had to keep moving chairs, tables, artificial plants, and displays for me to find a shirt I wanted to buy as a Christmas gift for Douglas.

A sales woman offered to help Kevin and Kellie move some of the items blocking access for me, yet when we found we needed help moving some heavy furniture she was too busy helping other customers. I found it very humiliating and embarrassing having to have furniture moved just for me. I didn’t find a shirt here for Douglas because I couldn’t access them all and decided to go to another Hollister Co. that may not be as cluttered.

While we were at this Hollister we checked out the dressing rooms and discovered there is one larger dressing room that appears to be wheelchair accessible; yet it is not marked as accessible and the door was locked so we couldn’t see if there are safety rails or a lower clothing hook inside. We all thought the lighting inside the entire store was very dark for a person with a visual impairment to be able to see. The cashier counter is way too high for a person in a wheelchair to reach; it is approximately 4 feet tall; and the ATM/Debit/Credit Card Transaction machine is impossible to reach from my wheelchair because it is set back on this high cashier counter.

As I was leaving, I found I could not reach the push button door opener to open the only accessible door; Kevin had to squeeze in between the cluttered displays to push it for me. Once back outside in the open mall area, I felt relief!!

I give Hollister Co. at Silver City Galleria Mall ONE STAR for wheelchair accessibility. I found it another humiliating shopping experience at a Hollister Co. In order to earn the other Four Stars they would need to remove the steps at the front entrance or place an accessible ramp at the front entrance so all persons have equal and full access; place an accessible sign by the only accessible side door; make the sitting area accessible to all; place more space between the displays of clothing so a person in a wheelchair can fully access all items for sale; move the clutter away from the accessible door; lower the cashier counter to a wheelchair accessible height; place the ATM/Debit/Credit Card/ Transaction Machine within accessible reach; remove the clutter in front of the accessible door so a person in a wheelchair can reach the push button to open the door to exit; and increase the lighting so a person with a visual impairment can see the clothing and price tag.