Citing the current economic environment, in June 2009 Abercrombie & Fitch announced that it would close all 29 Ruehl locations by January 2010.

History

Fictional background

A fictional Ruehl family was invented by Abercrombie & Fitch to help tie together the elements of the Ruehl brand. Abercrombie & Fitch publicity material presents them as a family of German immigrants who started a leathergoods shop at the nonexistent address of 925 Greenwich Street in Greenwich Village. There exist no building numbers past the 800s on Greenwich Street and there are no records of an established Ruehl family in the Village. There is nothing very German about the name, in the same sense that sister brand Gilly Hicks is not Australian, although both claim to have roots to those cultures. The name "Ruehl" is a variation of the German last name "Ruhl."

Development

Despite the secretive nature, rumors circulated about a "distinct departure" from the A&F style. It was evident that A&F sought to maintain consumers past ages 18 through 22. The concept was to venture out as more mature and sophisticated, all the while keeping it youthful. Encouraging studies revealed that 35-to-40-year-olds shop to look 25. The brand was privately unveiled to investors-only on "Investor Day" September 7, 2004. The presentation was at Garden State Plaza in New Jersey. At the introduction and press tour of the Westfield Garden State Plaza location, Jeffries noted that Ruehl is "the fantasy of what it's like to graduate from college and go to New York and make it. It's the New York fantasy." He also repeatedly referred to Ruehl as "the movie" because of its elaborate, flowing background.

Launch

Ruehl No.925 finally opened on September 24, 2004 with three locations. These were at Garden State Plaza (New Jersey), Woodfield Mall (Illinois), and the International Plaza (Florida). Designed to look and feel like Greenwich Village, Ruehl really presented a new, "more sophisticated" lifestyle than other Abercrombie & Fitch brands. The store prototype of this time was a two-floor prototype measuring at 9,500 sq ft (880 m²). Due to its structural form and size, locations capable of housing the prototype became hard to acquire.

Mike Jeffries did not launch an online store upon the opening of RUEHL. He wanted to attract customers to the stores to experience the Ruehl atmosphere. What was launched was a promotional website which gave store listings, previewed the private online policy, and allowed for email subscription to receive news on RUEHL.

Original prices upon opening were roughly 30% higher than at Abercrombie & Fitch (e.g. destroyed blue jeans $148.00 USD). Many consumers deemed this as too high for young professionals who normally begin their careers at fair incomes.

Post-opening

On June 17, 2009, Abercrombie & Fitch announced that it would close all 29 Ruehl locations by the end of the fiscal year (January 2010).

Marketing and its resulting performance

Ruehl marketing photography has a blue color scheme and is more sophisticated than Abercrombie & Fitch. Noticeably, some imagery uses angles of Greenwich Village as a backdrop. Jeffries has made it clear that sex in marketing is a continual importance in Ruehl advertising. For that reason, Bruce Weber shoots all campaigns. He is most noted for his provocative and sexual, beefcake work with Calvin Klein underwear and A&F. Photography from RUEHL's early days evolved from sepia and dark green color schemes before settling on blue. High-profile models have appeared in Ruehl marketing campaigns, including Miranda Kerr and Kim Stolz.

The brand has used the appropriate slogan, "Visit us in the Village." Its main marketing logo "Ruehl / No.925 / Greenwich Street / New York" has been revised and replaced with "Ruehl / No.925 / Greenwich St / New York, NY". It mimics as an actual address. And unlike other A&F brands which rely on and owe their success to walking self-marketing in schools, Ruehl must follow more rigid advertisement techniques to make itself more known to the public.

Marketing techniques used on Ruehl have not benefited revenue expectations for the brand. The average RNY store generated sales of over  $3.2 million USD in 2006. In comparison to Hollister's outstanding popularity and sales by 2004 (four years after its opening), revenue from Ruehl by 2008 has not been satisfying. Giving R925 more of a resemblance to the A&F style (noticeable on Hollister), but maintaining flare, is a marketing move being practiced to increase figures (by attracting same-company customers). Potted palm trees (found in A&F/hCO stores) have been added instore. The "Ruehl No.925" name is stamped and embroidered more noticeably. Recently reduced price points will also make it easier for same-company customers to enter the Ruehl market, and the new store prototype will gain faster expansion than before. Even production rollouts have been made similar to its sister brands. A&F hopes that Ruehl will eventually grow as a strong, popular, post-grad brand: similar to A&F with collegiates and Hollister with high-schoolers. Customers seeking a more dark and mature look will find Ruehl their choice out of all Abercrombie and Fitch's brands.

The official logo for Ruehl No.925 is the French bulldog Trubble. He is the little "inquisitive" bulldog with a "steadfast demeanor" and "confident attitude" who walked into the Ruehl family shop in the mid-1850s - so states the fictional background to RUEHL. He was, as the fake literature continues, the family's first customer (to their surprise and delight). Subsequently, Trubble became the logo for the brand.

His name, "Trubble", is a play on the word "trouble." It signifies the trouble that Mike Jeffries and his development team underwent to create an appealing logo for RUEHL. Before deciding on Trubble, the company experimented with different designs on RNY polos. The logos included: "R925"; an artistically cursive "R"; and "Ruehl / No.925". The bulldog from the Ruehl background was finally selected and christened "Trubble" - a sort of counterpart to the Abercrombie moose, the flying Hollister Co. seagull, and the Gilly Hicks Koala. Trubble is today embroidered on Polos and silk-screened on other merchandise. Trubble also occasionally has a series of tees dedicated to his iconic image.

Ruehl released the marketing slogan "Get into Trubble at RUEHL" in August 2008.

Merchandise

Merchandise cycles in stores weekly and there are four main seasonal clothing rollouts. These are the Spring, Summer, Fall, and Christmas seasons. In efforts to entice consumers, books, newspapers, and fresh flowers are also on sale. Merchandise is made only available in Ruehl stores and at RUEHL.com.

The sophisticated Ezra Fitch Collection by Abercrombie & Fitch released in 2004 and discontinued later on shares a similarity to Ruehl clothing.

Apparel

Ruehl No.925 clothing is more sophisticated than of what is expected at college-inspired Abercrombie & Fitch.  It has been described as "edgier versions of Polo Ralph Lauren and J.Crew". Some Ruehl fashions could very well be "office-appropriate". Mike Jeffries however calls Ruehl "100% casual." The price points at Ruehl are the highest in the family of Abercrombie & Fitch brands. This fact remains even after the drop in original price points. Now nicknamed "A&F + $10" by original customers, there lingers a feel that the brand has been degraded from its high-end image (by the drop in prices).

Clothing articles encompasses of tops (i.e. tees, shirts), bottoms (i.e. jeans, shorts), swim wear, accessories (i.e. flip flops, handbags), and underwear (men's only). Lace-and-velvet trimmed Lingerie and sleepwear were also previously offered to women (discontinued because of the Gilly Hicks brand). Materials used for Ruehl apparel are of a much higher-grade (using heavier denim, cashmere for sweaters, and embossed leather) than in other A&F brands. Overall, Jeffries wants Ruehl to be positioned as a "jeans expert", with RNY jeans dominating the assortment of apparel. Inside all jeans is the embroidery: Ruehl New York 10014 (the New York City zip code).

Fragrance and leather goods

For its fragrance collection, Ruehl carries Signature (both cologne and perfume) and R-4 perfume and R-7 cologne. Signature cologne is the representing scent of the brand, and is sprayed at intervals throughout the day in-store.

RNY became the first in the chain of Abercrombie & Fitch brands to produce a genuine leather goods line for both men and women. Because of low purchasing rates, however, the men's leather goods were discontinued (e.g. wallets and messenger bags). Women's bags, however, remain quite popular. Purse prices are at level with Coach prices for competition. However, some Ruehl purses have reached the amount of $898 USD. Celebrity patrons of Ruehl who enjoy the bags include Ali Larter, Katherine Heigl, Minka Kelly, and Vanessa Ann Hudgens. A favorite of theirs became "Anabelle," a white leather clutch which "...is everything that this season's It bag wants to be.

Ruehl Books

Ruehl No.925, in collaboration with its photographer Bruce Weber, produces what are called "Ruehl books." These are limited edition photography books. They encompass of photography inspired by the artistic and cultural heritage of Greenwich Village. The publications are similar to A&F Quarterly, a racy magalog also produced by Weber.

The floor layout

A typical Ruehl No.925 is structured as three, two-floored or single floored brownstones. Artificial windows contain flower boxes, and a black awning on the 3rd facade reads "RUEHL." Surrounding the facades are wrought iron fences. Resembling a home off of Greenwich Street, concrete walkways line in front of the store, leading to the two entrances. Inside, the store is walled off into about more than ten rooms. Entering the main entrance, there is a large corridor which divides the men and women departments. The flooring is of dark wood. To emphasize a Greenwich home, the women's side of the store contains the rooms of a normal home. This includes a family room surrounded by couches and chairs with Ruehl merchandise displayed. There is also a dimly-lit bedroom which can be led to the back of the women's side of the store containing one more room known as the closet. The closet is filled with women's apparel with a crystal chandelier hanging low from the ceiling. The men's side of the store contains a large room holding Ruehl denim across the wall. This room is located on the first floor and can be overseen from a bedroom containing a balcony. The men's side of the store has the secondary rooms of a Greenwich home. Men's merchandise are located into three bedrooms and overflow into the Garage. At the end of the hallway separating the women's and men's side, is a divan surrounded with books and modern art. Art and marketing photography are displayed as if in an art gallery. Merchandise is found on actual bookshelves and tables.  Numerous bookshelves contain copies of actual antique books for sale, such as by authors Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning. The merchandise highlighted with spot lighting and lamps. Located in the back corner of the store is the cashwrap, also known as the Garage, and is designed to have brick walls, dim/flickering lighting, and windows to represent the outside using intelligent lighting techniques. CDs are available for purchase upon request and some stores are known to have a burning fireplace.

The atmosphere

Jeffries says the idea is to make the shopper feel in a unique place, a "private home." The music mixed for the brand attempts to employ soft modern lounge/downtempo tunes with jazzy beats to personify the jazz-influenced musical heritage of the Village. The modern art displayed instore is nostalgic to modern artists living in the early-20th century Village. The dim lighting projects an upscale image in the retail world, and so does the lingering opulent scent of Signature. In A&F's words, "The classic décor and opulent ambience create a luxurious lifestyle inside this romantically lit West Village brownstone."

Criticism

Kevin Ramstack (division manager of the Garden State Plaza store) revealed that new customers become overwhelmed over the number of rooms, "At first, they're shocked." The lack of typical mall windows also mislead shoppers' view of the brand. A 50-year-old-man (interviewed by the New York Times) who walked into a Ruehl brownstone found himself in what he called "the wrong place" among "skimply dressed teenagers and stacks of tee-shirts that read Friday is casual sex day ." He later confessed that the problem was "you really had to guess what it was until you got in." Quite on the contrary, a 17-year-old and her friend stated that they enjoyed the experience of the brand and that "instead of being in the middle of New Jersey, we are on a street in New York, and that is where we want to be anyway -- living in New York City."

Many retail executives disagree with the idea of no mall windows.  Some agree that stores similar to Ruehl (like Martin + Osa) with original and provocative storefronts attract curiosity to themselves against other mall merchants, and, thus, aid themselves economically. However, others contradict by stating that brands with storefronts as such are merely "shooting themselves in the foot when it comes to new customers who are so critical to a brand's success."  However, with concern to RUEHL, Andrew McQuilkin (vice president of design at FRCH Design Worldwide) settles that "they [the storefronts] are sending a message early in the conversation [between consumer and store] that says you belong or you don't belong...The 17-year-old who wants to live in New York belongs. The 50-year-old suburban dad does not." Also, Kurt Barnard (president of Barnards Retail Consulting Group) stated that "the risk-taking behind Ruehl is not only a smart idea, it totally falls in line with the massive transformation of retail. Newness is needed. Abercrombie may have a hit upon a way to hold onto existing customers as they exit their teens."

Current stores

Ruehl operates twenty-eight mall stores, one accessories store and one outlet location. The mall stores take up the store prototypes set up by corporate. The 600 sq ft (56 m²) accessories store is different, however, in that it only sells handcrafted leather merchandise and is meant as a Brick and mortar business. It is located in West Village, New York City, New York at 370 Bleecker Street (on Bleecker between Charles and Perry).

Future closure of Ruehl

On June 17, 2009, Abercrombie & Fitch announced it would close all 29 Ruehl stores.

Mike Jeffries, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Abercrombie & Fitch Co., said:

It has been a difficult decision to close RUEHL, a brand we continue to believe could have been successful in different circumstances. However, given the current economic environment, we believe it is in the best interests of the Company to focus its efforts and resources on the growth opportunities afforded by our other brands, particularly internationally. While I am disappointed with the ultimate outcome, I am grateful for the effort and commitment the Ruehl team has shown in developing and positioning that brand in the marketplace. In particular, the recent strides made in differentiating and elevating the Ruehl assortment make this an especially difficult decision. However, all of our brands will benefit from our experience and lessons learned with RUEHL.

Legal issue with Levi Strauss & Co.

Levi Strauss & Co. filed a lawsuit against Abercrombie & Fitch in July 2007 for trademark infringement, alleging that Ruehl jeans and other products used Levi's trademarked pocket design of connected arches. A similar suit was filed against Polo Ralph Lauren.