H&M, it was nice knowing you

I'm going to be honest. The one time I was in London, two years ago, I didn't love it. Not that there was anything wrong with it, per se. It just reminded me a whole lot of New York City, only I didn't have any emotional attachment to it so the grime and the attitude annoyed me in a way it doesn't here.

One thing I did love, though, was the shopping. I spent a small fortune in London, and when I say "small fortune," remember that I was not living the lavish lifestyle then that I am now, what with all the dive bars I go to and wife beaters I buy at Old Navy. So the small fortune was, indeed, small, but it was large compared to my nearly nonexistent savings account. In fact, I think I'm still paying for that trip now.

Despite the pounds I spent on hats (the cavefish loved her hats), I racked up some serious credit card debt at TOPSHOP. I fell in love with TOPSHOP harder than I did when I was 15 and was moved to create a shrine in my bedroom to Nikki Sixx. I justified all my purchases with this statement, "We don't have TOPSHOP in America. This is my only chance to buy these adorable clothes."

I haven't missed London, but I have missed TOPSHOP. So naturally, I was delighted when Pat Kiernan informed me this morning that the Arcadia Group, which owns TOPSHOP, has been perusing Manhattan for some prime real estate for a 60,000 to 90,000 square feet store. Details from the NY Times here.

Last night, when I had that nervous breakdown and almost ran off with the Hari Krishnas, is but a distant memory in light of this news. I'm already dreaming about the retail therapy opportunities.