Hollister In Soho And Abercrombie & Fitch Shut Down Due To Bedbug Infestations New York Has A Bedbug Epidemic

Abercrombie & Fitch has found bedbugs in a second Manhattan store, leading the company's head to implore Mayor Michael Bloomberg for help.

The retailer closed its South Street Seaport location Friday, two days after shuttering its Hollister Epic store in SoHo.

In a letter to Mr. Bloomberg, Abercrombie Chairman and CEO Michael S. Jeffries asked for "leadership and guidance" on how best to address the problem of "the growing infestation of bedbugs in New York City."

"We made the decision to act with caution by closing both stores to assure we have rid them of the problem. There is a real revenue loss involved in our decision but we felt closing was in the best interest of our customers and associates," the letter said.

City officials said there was little they could do. "It is the responsibility of companies to handle bedbugs on their own," said a spokeswoman for the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

The tiny blood-sucking bedbugs have become an epidemic in New York City. The little pests have invaded even the cleanest and most expensive apartments in neighborhoods around New York. In fact, a councilwoman from the Upper West Side has called for a citywide bedbug task force to address the problem.