Out Of The Closet: Palin's Favorite Consignment Store Served With 'Cease And Desist' (VIDEO)

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UPDATE: The AIDS Healthcare Foundation, which runs the charitable Out Of The Closet thrift store chain in California and Florida, has issued this statement concerning Palin's favorite consignment shop, which goes by the same name:

"We are grateful to Governor Palin for bringing the infringement of AIDS Healthcare Foundation's trademark on our eighteen year-old 'Out of the Closet' name to our attention. In addition to raising funds for the care and treatment of thousands of people with AIDS in the US and around the globe, several AHF 'Out of the Closet' sites also serve as free HIV and STD testing centers. A growing number are now partnered with or placed alongside full service AHF Pharmacy stores, which are open to everyone, but offer clients specific expertise in HIV/AIDS medications. AHF's 'Out of the Closet' chain and our related services at these sites provide the community a unique opportunity to give back. We value our good name and as such, have sent a 'cease and desist' letter to the independent for-profit resale shop operating under our 'Out of the Closet' name in Alaska....We also invite Governor Palin and the Republican National Committee to give back to the community by donating the Vice Presidential candidate's campaign wardrobe to AIDS Healthcare Foundation's 'Out of the Closet' following the election."

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At a rally this weekend, Sarah Palin addressed last week's $150,000 clothing brouhaha and declared that she's "back to wearing my own clothes from my favorite consignment shop in Anchorage, Alaska."

On Monday morning "The Early Show" spoke to the owner of that store, Out of The Closet!, which is described on its website as "an upscale resale store for women size 0-16" that "offers affordable high-end designer labels and brands not otherwise available in Anchorage" and lists its favorite brands as "Prada, Marc Jacobs, Narcisco Rodriguez, Gucci, Calvin Klein, Armani, Catherine Malandrino, Diane Von Furstenberg, Tracy Reese, Trina Turk, Seven for All Mankind, True Religion, Juicy Couture, & Eileen Fisher."

Owner Ellen Arvold revealed that the governor "likes leather jackets" and went on to say "I have only seen a few pieces that she's bought here on the campaign trail."

Arvold wouldn't divulge how much Palin typically spends at the store (where she said items range "from $16 for a knit top to a Chloe handbag for $800"--though some featured items on the website include a mink coat for $1,500 and a chalcedony necklace for $1,685), but added "I think she could probably come in and buy our whole store three times over for $150,000."

Watch the full interview:

-or-

Watch "The View"'s Elisabeth Hasselback, fresh from a campaign appearance with Palin, portray the governor as so oblivious to luxury labels that she "she calls Jimmy Choos 'Johnny Choos'." Do you believe her?

Comments

[NoLongerRepublican]

oops, wait, sorry, it is in there--I must have skipped the line when I scrolled down too fast. Unfortunate that the store is dealing with this problem.

[NoLongerRepublican]

Did the headline writer even read this article? Nowhere in it is there anything about "cease and desist" and the article is largely positive about the store. What gives? I expect better from the Huffington Post.

[GregorZap]

"affordable high-end designer labels and brands not otherwise available in Anchorage". Umm, if the labels and brands are not otherwise available in Achorage, how is this supposed to be representative of the common folk?

[Chillinout]

Everything Palin touches seems to end up being destroyed. First the presidential election and now this poor consignment shop in Alaska.

[MMJones]

I think it's wonderful! I love knowing Palin is wearing anything associated with the humane and worthwhile fight against AIDS. Does she see the irony?

[ohboy]

Did you read the post? Arvold's store is unrelated to the AIDS Healthcare Foundation. It's a trademark infringement, which wouldn't concern most Republicans.

[tablogloid]

Yes, read the story again.

[lazercat2008]

Senator Norm Coleman also got clothes at the same store. Do they have a GOP discount there or what. Check out Norm's Iranian Buddie who buys his suits. Meet Nasser Kazeminy buisnessman and Iranian citizen CEO of NJK Holdings.

Also check out suitgate at Harper's.

[BillORights1776]

The law says Trademarks have to be defended against any infraction.

It doesn't matter whether the Alaska store is a threat or not. As soon as the AIDS foundation became aware of it, they're legally obligated to respond.

Basically, Sarah s###ed her favorite store.

[tiredofjerks]

Whiners are going to rule the world!!! And more than that we are going to let them! I can't believe what Sarah Palin wears is such a big news story, nor can I believe that the name of a small town business is a threat to Aids Healthcare Foundation. Politicians seem to think they can whine and throw the short comings of their apponent on a TV ad, and that is suppose to distract our attention from the fact that they don't have an immediate solution to our nation's problems. Change, yea right. The national press whines when they are called to task for taking sides early in the campaign process. The American people whine then sue over everything else! Give me a break. Sarah Palin makes an easy target for everyone. LET'S TALK ISSUES AND SOLUTIONS, not what someone wears, where they buy it and how much they pay for it.

[Puzes]

You should take your comments to the Republicans and faux news. Seems to me they are doing the most whining.

[tablogloid]

Tiredofjerks, what are you wearing right now?

[thismachinekillsfascists]

Sounds like you're whining.

[gentlernation]

Yeah brainiac, let's talk Joe the Plumber!!

[majordomo2]

While I am a firm believe in free speech and not at all a fan of frivolous lawsuits, I fully understand and support the plaintiff, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation in this case. It is common for thrift stores and consignment stores to be sponsored by charitable organizations, and it is very probable that many people who see the name of the Alaska store are under the impression that it is run by the Foundation that runs the chain of thrift stores in CA and FL. They may be far more likely to shop there, and pay prices that they consider a bit steep if they think a good percentage of that money was going to charity. In this case, it seems from the article, those steep prices are only serving to line the pockets of private individuals. They should NOT be allowed to make a personal profit exploiting the good name of a charitable organization! This is precisely the kind of deceitful advertising that the trademark infringement laws are there to guard against.

[lwaxanatroi]

Thank you. This lawsuit is not petty. When I first read the headline saying Palin shopped at Out of the Closet, I thought, Wow, she's supporting AIDS research. Finally, something positive about the harridan. Then, of course, I find out that this shop has nothing to do with the Out of the Closet shops I've visited in LA. The only way to keep a trademark is to litigate its infringement. No, you can't name your tiny little video store Blockbuster or your one-man oil change depot Jiffy Lube. Being a small businessperson is not an excuse to steal someone else's name.

[thismachinekillsfascists]

Hey I want to open a small pizza parlor in Alaska. I was thinking of calling it Pizza Hut. You know, it's a small hut that serves pizza. Think I can use it?

[oldmilitant]

I had a similar thought (my wife had shopped at the San Francisco outlet on 9th Street). I figured she was doing merely for the bargains, but hey, her money was green, so why worry about motivations, right? But now I see it was typical "who gives a crap about laws" Alaskan BS.

[KarlaElisa]

What I'd like to see happen is this:

Obama wins.

McCain cranks out 3rd memoir of regrets, disclosing what a rotten decision he made with Palin and how she cost him his one giant personal ambition.

Palin returns to Alaska, is investigated for north of 4 major things, a recall is started and is a success. Levi dumps Bristol and returns to school.

Todd and Sarah lose their jobs, home and are ostracized by the entire state forcing them to relocate to Utah or Idaho in the hopes of making a political comeback but instead Todd joins the Mormon faith and starts marrying lots of younger women.

Sarah opens her own consignment store called " The has been ".

[littlepitcher]

$800 handbag?? While many of America's elderly are living on monthly social security checks well under that amount and spend the last two weeks with no money in their discount-store purses? While small-town Americans work full-time for near-minimum wages which yield an after-tax weekly paycheck of $200 or less...Thank you, Sarah, for showing your true colors shamelessly.

Closets existed long before HIV. The cease-and-desist order against this small businesswoman is tacky, tacky, tacky and sexist to an extreme. I do not fault her for selling $800 handbags, since a fool and her money deserve to be parted.

[TRYKER]

You are missing the whole point.

[pulpstress]

This is an OUTRAGE. SHAME SHAME on the Governor from the "Great State of Alaska."

You can be sure this wasn't John's idea.

[pulpstress]

My dad had TWO really good comments that really made me think twice about voting for McCain/Palin:

1) "I don't want anyone older than me as President." (My dad is actually older than McCain, but only by 8 days).

There is talk that Sarah Palin may be the new face of the Republican party; my dad thinks she's more like the face of the NEW Republican party. I mean, already we've got top GOP members jumping ship..you can be sure there are Senators and House members distancing themselves.

It's sad because as much as I didn't want to admit it, seeing as McCain is my dad's age and I hate to think of dad this way, but Sarah as our VP is not something I want to take that chance on.

This McCain supporter since April is officially an Obama supporter.

[pulpstress]

Oh. My. God. Why isn't this being reported in the media???

It needs to.

[obgynobgyn]

I heard there was a secret deal that the GOP would donate the clothes to a place that will
sell them exclusively back to Palin for one dollar ($1.00)