Japanese luxury streetwear brand A Bathing Ape used to see shoppers line up for days, sleeping on sidewalks for a chance to get their latest sneakers, hoodies and t-shirts. The BAPE fever hit its peak around the beginning of 2008. Since then founder/director Nigo is slowly backing away from his standard retail practices (practices made possible by a mythical 97% sell-through rate, huge counterfeit market and huge resale market). These practices have included:

- No returns, no exchanges on anything. Ever. (in part to prevent customers buying the real thing and returning an identical fake)

- No markdowns or sales. 100% of merchandise to be sold at full price 100% of the time.

- Customers cannot purchase more than one of the same item (to prevent buying and re-selling clothes)

- No merchandise available online.

In the last year Nigo has made select items available on the official BAPE website and is now allowing phone orders from their retail stores.

The latest change happens to be the most surprising. New York will see the opening of a "Bathing Ape Pirate Store." This is where BAPE will unload factory seconds and deadstock. Apparently that 97% sell-through rate has dipped.... The store opens in NYC and will be open for four days only. The location has not been announced yet but you can expect that once it does the street-sleepers will be back in full force.