Taking time out from from prying open young girls' legs for the camera, American Apparel finally answered Allan Hough over at Mission Mission, who asked for comment on the Valencia Street controversy. They respond in length -- which you can read in its entirety right here -- but, ultimately, claim they meant no harm.

"Our first store was in Echo Park, a small artsy district of Los Angeles, which is a lot like the Mission. Since we opened the store in 2003, the neighborhood has flourished with new independent businesses. The City pays closer attention to the area, keeping it cleaner and safer than it ever was before without denting its original charm and flavor. Our store is a permanent fixture in the community now, just as much as Burrito King and the infamous tranny hairdressers are. Not every location is like Echo Park or Valencia St., but for the ones that are, we're perfectionists about getting right."

Actually, Echo Park is still kind of janky. But we digress.

American Apparel also goes on to say that "at the end of the day if the community doesn't want us there, we have no intention of forcing our way in." And seeing as how most of the businesses on Valencia and some Mission residents do not want the retail chain there due to aesthetic reasons, it looks like American Apparel might have to look elsewhere to hawk their revealing goods.

Read more about it, right here.