Not long ago I was strolling through my local mall(regrettably) and a question crossed my mind. What images come to mind when kids these days think about Hot Topic? Do they still think of it as the one store in the mall your parents won’t follow you in? Do they still think of it as the one place of employment for cool guys with facial tatts and dermals? Or are those days long gone? I question this because of it’s obvious renovations(lets face it, the stores been slowly changing for years now). Also, It’s important to mention that it’s not often I go to the mall, (I only go as an excuse to drive 30 minutes for Chipotle) so when I do go, I notice the many changes they try to sneak by me. Anywho, I remembered that when I was in my middle school and junior high days the store was always poorly lit(lol red lighting), full of metal and punk shit, and blasting loud, angry music (so you’re grandma would buy you that “Slipknot/ICP/Greenday/Slayer/NOFX/KoRn” shirt with hopes of getting the hell out of there). Overall, the store had a gothic, punk, and metal vibe.
If you look closely, you can spot a "West Coast Choppers" shirt, so I'm guessing this image dates between 01-04
There’s no need to explain how the store is now, since I’m sure you’ve all been there. I would like to note that I think I saw a hipster working there during my last visit. I really couldn’t tell though. Here, I’ll give you a visual. It was some girl with stretched ears wearing a dress that looked like it came from a garage sale. Is that a hipster? Whatever, I’m not mad anymore about the store sucking now because I’m already wanting to get rid of my crusty metal shirts(It took me too long to learn that if your shirt says, “Dying Fetus”, “Cattle Decapitation”, “Cannibal Corpse”, or “worship the devil” you will never get laid). Regardless of what they used to sell, I don’t like what they sell now. This is a problem because I want new clothes and I don’t know where to go. I have a lot of band shirts, so I’m not looking for anymore of those. I’ve actually been thinking about trying Zumiez, but I haven’t found anything I like there yet. Oh well..
I guess the point of this whole shit was to get you to look back on the old HT and remember dragging your confused and scared grandmother into what she thought was Hell… Or maybe you had other lulzy moments there(like buying tripp pants, at least I never wore tripp pants).
u mad cuz I'm stylin on u?
Whatever thoughts/stories you may have about the ‘ol HT, feel free to share ‘em.
Man I remember when I first started shopping there and it was all afi and slipknot merch. No skinny jeans, bright colors, and certainly no pop music stuff. Lots of goth and postcard punk stuff. But those all died in like 2005 so yeah shit changes. I still like a lot of their stuff but I can do without all the pop shit and cutesy cartoon stuff
Wow. Haven’t seen a Hot Topic since I was in Texas in what, 2005? Things sure have changed since.
Is American teen culture just a neverending cycle of generations that take pant styles to a specific extreme?
Think about that for a second, I mean, reaaally think about it.
00′s – Skinny jeans
90′s – Super wide legged jeans
80′s – Uhh… wearing jeans as a jacket
70′s – bell bottoms
60′s – ???
I leave in Ecuador, so it’s pretty hard to get some Metal merch over here. Anyway, on my last trip to USA (went to Miami) I could not find any legit Metal merch stores, so I just went to Hot Topic. Seriously, I don’t think it’s that bad. I mean, sure, mostly there is lame -core stuff and Pop culture shit, but I also bought shirts of the like of Tool, Black Flag, The Doors, Nine Inch Nails, How To Destroy Angels, and others. Sure, not as much as I would’ve liked, and not really Metal, yet I did not complain, as there was no other store in Miami (That I know of) that sold better stuff, and at least I got /something/.
live*
Back in early high school I admit I got some job for a cowboy, behemoth, devil wears prada, and suicide silence shirts at hot topic. then I got over it. I still check hot topic for entertainment purposes. These days they have kid cudi, wiz khalifa, snoop dogg, lil wayne, and waka flocka merch, as well as bassnectar, rusko and other generic dubstep stuff. zero metal/alt stuff. I’m starting to feel like an old man even though I’m only 21.
this hits it right on! It’s almost like they discovered metal isn’t profitable, so they ditched it for the most part.
I almost bought a DEV shirt there the other day :(
Ewww, Dev is cool, but I’d never where that bish on a shirt.
The old Hot Topic never really went away, it’s just all been moved to the back wall. Kids will still be able to buy and wear trench coat corset gowns covered in chains and eyelets and giant obnoxious bondage zipper neon pants until the day Hot Topic goes out of business. If they haven’t stopped offering that out of style retardwear now, they’re never going to. They probably make too much money from the undying niche of mallgoth nerds who haven’t caught on to the fact that it isn’t 2004 anymore.
I’ll rummage through their clearance section from time to time to see if a respectable metal band tee slipped through the cracks. It’s not very often I’m successful though. Insane Clown Posse more or less dominates the entire clearance rack, because most folks from trailer parks can’t afford t-shirts for $20.
My local HT has none of that stuff man. They ditched all the metal shit about a year ago. I do know that online they still have tripp pants and more of the old stuff for sale, so maybe it would make sense that some stores still carry it.
Yeah, this exactly– I would love to know how much of that mallgoth stuff they actually sell. I assume it must be a decent amount or they wouldn’t devote any floorspace at all to it, but I have no idea who buys that kind of gear in 2011.
Well Detroit has a club called City Club where people dressed like this still congregate en masse. My guess is a lot of cities have these types of places?
Especially ones like Detroit :/
So weird. 15 years ago ppl used to rage at Hot Topic for selling the punx stuff at the mall. Now you guys seem bothered that its not tr00 enough. This is just so weird.
not even mad bro. I try to dress normal now. However, If I were my 16 year old self I’d be furious.
It should be mentioned that apparently the owners of Hot Topic also own Hollister. I saw Justin Bieber sweatshirts with the collar “cut” off. However, their CD section stays pretty well-stocked. I saw Tryptikon’s album last November. Also, I think some of the Hot Topics are more original than others. When I went to Miami, Florida in early ’09, they already had all the Lil’ Wayne shirts, etc. But it took about a year for an Ohio Hot Topic to get that stuff.
Ha, this is not true at all.
Hot Topic: http://www.google.com/finance?q=NASDAQ%3AHOTT
Hollister: http://www.google.com/finance?q=NYSE%3AANF
i remember that the prevailing rumor when i was in early high school was that hot topic was owned by the gap. i guess it makes sense that the rumor has adjusted to hollister now. does the gap even exist anymore to anyone who is under the age of 30?
Not as far as I can tell. Might even be a 35+ store at this point… most 30 year olds who aren’t oldz yet still shop at Forever 21, H&M, etc
Whoops guess not!! Scratch that statement… :)
Back in ’05/’06 it was like a meeting place for the emo kids, punx, kids that just discovered metal, video game nerds, etc etc. I think their punk shirt section hasn’t changed much in six years, it’s still rancid/the clash/sex pistols/social d shirts and a random metallica or slayer shirt in the metal section. thinking back now it really hasn’t changed much, i mean aside from beefing up their vinyl/cd section (i guess) and supplying more “urban” oriented band merch. they still pump shitty music all day and the employees are still fruity as fuck, which i guess adds to the fun/guilty pleasure factor of walking around a HT for five minutes before realizing there’s nothing worth buying.
“I’m already wanting to get rid of my crusty metal shirts”
i’m 21 and i just a few months ago gave away a good number of my band tees. i spent like five years thinking “yeah it’d be rad to rep x or y band” and now i just feel stupid wearing them. like who gives a fuck about gbh? i still love their music but shit, even gbh fans don’t give a shit about other gbh fans. so yeah i have 11 band shirts now (way less than before) and i plan to wear them on laundry days or when i skate, and only one of them is a metal shirt (slayer), and i don’t really give a fuck about bandshirts anymore.
“I’ve actually been thinking about trying Zumiez, but I haven’t found anything I like there yet. ” yeah they might be a little 2 MNSTRM 4 u. but i’m gonna hook you up with what cool kids wanna wear:
http://shop.thehundreds.com/
http://store.hufsf.com/
https://diamondsupplyco.3dcartstores.com/
Nike Sportswear
Ah, what to wear that won’t make ppl think you’re boring but also won’t look like you’re from 2008. It’s a delicate balance.
Thanks for the suggestions but those site’s shirts were a little too expensive for basic designs that aren’t even good.
I know Zumiez isn’t exactly Wal-Mart either, but it’s not THAT expensive.
the shirts are indeed pricey, but they’re made from the highest quality material (MUCH better than anything found at Zumiez or HT), but design wise, i suppose to each his own. i like the subtle(ish) designs of their gear but it’s not for everyone. what exactly would you consider a good design for a shirt? i really wanna help you out here, i feel like i can.
If you could find any other brands like this http://zipzoo.bigcartel.com/
I got a shirt from there not too long ago, it’s pretty nice.
all of those designs look similar to what zumiez carries. they have plenty of tees (at least mine does) with lots of colorful but not too colorful designs. or i guess you could try pacsun/journeys, pacsun being much cheaper. if you local zumiez has some crappy selection try them online, they have way more stuff to choose from and since you’re just getting tees it’s not like you have to try em on unless you’re looking for super slim fit stuff. if all else fails there’s always urban outfitters (lol).
Thanks man, I actually hadn’t tried online yet. Just looked and they have soooo much!
fun fact: my best friend in high school’s dad started Zumiez haha. real cool guy, known him since 1990 and Zumiez = backed 1000000000%.
as a euro, I’ve been in hot Topic like three times about five years ago. it was ok then, I had no idea about this.
A girl I know said something on facebook about how Hot Topic sold out because they didn’t have Tripp pants anymore. I was all “-_-”.
Tell her “they’re doing you a favor by letting you keep your dignity”.
Please publish a follow up report on how the stock in Spencer’s gifts has changed over the past 15 years.
the selection of penis-themed novelty gifts just isn’t what it used to be
But on the bright side, the Brock Lesnar section is unrivaled!!
HAH COSIGNED
i havent been in a hot topic in almost 2-3 years now :o i just get my band ts at shows now but yeah i remember being in middle school and buying stuff from there thinking i was a bamf because my parents hated that place….last time i stepped foot in a hot topic i had to stop my mother from buying stuff haha.
Last time I was in a hot topic, I scored a Wu Tang shirt and a Minor Threat shirt. They were like 4 dollars each. Not too shabby.
Only tees I buy there now, are those for bands who no longer exist (johnny cash, minor threat, misfits) or just plain sell their own shirts at shows for a shit ton of money (i’m looking at you Danzig, you mother fucker). My closet is still heavily populated by my old band shirts, but as I’ve gotten older, I’ve become become increasingly appreciative of the comfort that comes with western style shirts and ben sherman polos/button downs.
To the dude looking for clothes, jack threads has some good brands for decent discounted prices:
http://www.jackthreads.com/invite/aldolinarez
Haha, I still have my old Tripp’s, and, maybe my old corset lying around.:’D
I bet none of you are old enough to remember places like Wax Trax in Denver back in its heyday. The old schoolers were appalled at Hot Topic for making it so accessible, which come to think of it made it kind of cool.
As a member of Christian Death’s fan club in ’89 I was blown away to hear them being played in a mall store in ’05. But yeah, it’s a totally different store now.
The peak of mallgoth was around ’98-05 (20 years after the peak of original goth). Note that three goth movies were made around the same time back in the early 00s: Gypsy 83, My First Mister, Home Room. It’s over, and so is Hot Topic. By the time South Park did their parody HT’s moment in the sun was already dying.
Let’s face it, Goth in America is pretty much stagnant these days. I might go as far as to say it’s dead. “Dead” as I define it means there’s no new happenings in the scene and it’s mainly subsisting off of bands and other creative endeavors that were popular over 20 – 35 years ago. Despite what cynics say Goth culture was very strong during the 90s and early 2000s. There were lots of American based goth/alternative clothing lines (i.e. Eternal NYC, Cxytees, Eternal Love, Serious, etc), magazines (Propaganda, Ghastly, New Grave, Gothic Beauty, Drop Dead, etc), comics (Lenore, Johnny: The Homicidal Maniac, Gloom Cookie, Sandman), movies (the Crow, the Matrix, Addams Family, the Nightmare Before Christmas, and etc), and bands that were on television and radio (i.e. Type O Negative, KMFDM, Nine Inch Nails, etc). Then there was Hot Topic bringing all that together to become the JcPenny’s for the darkly inclined. That was until Goth culture took a plummet around 2006. It hasn’t recovered ever since.
So, with Goth being pretty much dead I can understand why Hot Topic changed. I still shop there. But, the truth is I usually only find one or two things that I like out of the whole store. Unlike back in the day when I could leave with a pile of goodies from the clearance rack alone. And, oh god, the music they play there is awful. Wiz Kalifa, One Direction, Lady Gaga… REALLY?! If the proliferation of neon and screamo didn’t do it that sure hastened me towards the door much faster.
However, overseas Goth is alive and kicking (Schwarze Szene, anyone?). There are plenty of festivals, clothing brands, and other stuff. I don’t think Goth will ever make it’s comeback in the States. Nope, not even in an underground sense. Even if the scene completely passes away there will always be Goths though. And, there still are plenty of Goths in the States. The scene just severely lacks in new ideas and bands. Which has resulted in many giving up on going to goth events. Who wants to go clubbing if you’re going to hear a playlist of the same bands from 15 – 25 years ago?
I hate the “new” hot topic filled with bright neons and crappy pussy bands. I Peter the dark and scary hot topic. Children are not even afraid to enter the store anymore. I remember being about 5 – 11 years old and really being afraid of the store. I’m now 16 and into the goth metal thing cause I remember the awesome reaction it gave me. I only shop at specialty stores like vampire freaks, manic panic, etc… Hot topic is no longer “alternative”. Future generations will not even know what “goth” or “punk” is… They will only know what a faggot is
I came for the Rorschach interview and then saw this post.
As much as I hate the term, you guys are bunch of fucking posers.
you really get what this site is all about!
…I never really was into metal stuff, but i still really liked hot topic in it’s hay day, just because, I don’t know, because my mom hated it. I dressed pretty normal then.
Now it sells a bunch of crap.
Lady GaGa t shirts and Justin Bieber shirt shouldn’t be sold at a place that used to play outrageously loud angry music and those really baggy goth pants.
I like it now, because I really like the jewelry (I’m a girl) and the shirts that don’t have crap bands on them. I got a shirt with The Doors on it there. But it’s also kind of turned into a scene girl’s dream with the shoes, shirts, bows, and skirts that they sell.
I still have to go in there, I sometimes get some jeans there. I can’t find clothes I like anywhere anymore.
I like Zumiez though.
…and Target. lol.
God, Hot Topic nowadays. I love that store for their hats, pins and some of their tshirts, but I have to agree that it’s changed a lot. For example, last time I was in that store, Taylor Swift began playing. WTF? If I wasn’t about to buy a Portal tshirt and a handful of bracelets, I swear I would’ve just walked out of the store, right there and then.
o w o ;;
I was in there today looking for a leather bracelet because I lost my old one, and I need one to fit my punk rockish style. I seen scene kids with stylish girl hair, dudes with really huge ear plugs, and endless amounts of just crap, I was like this isnt the store I remember, wtf happened.
I first got into Hot Topic around 2005 for their anime shirts. I used to love strolling down the aisles looking at all the things that were dark, but also beautiful.
Nowadays I feel the quality of the products has steadily declined over the years. The products are cheaply made, they still carry one of my favorite things, Invader Zim for example but none of the shirts really feature actual lines from the show anymore and it is all GIR ALL the TIME.
I dressed normally back than but I was still mystified by the Gothic culture.
So disturbing–this pretty much sums it up! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_Ek8A9ZsuA
I used to manage a hot topic.the reason for the Change in the last couple years is do to new management. Hot topic got a new CEO that wanted to cash in on Tweens more than teens any and wanted to become a more acceptable place to the masses. Bright stores…hello kitty till you threw up etc. we got emails that switched are demo from 17 or 18 to 14. It was all so shitty and sad. The new CEO worked for Gymboree the kid store. It all makes sense now right? It goes like this basically…there’s still some cool stores around..the old original iron gate stores. That’s what mine was. And some awesome staff. But for the most part it’s laughable. And if you really think about it. Who goes to a store to be different that everyone else goes to be different as well. We sold an image that’s all. And now that image isn’t there. That is why they will be gone soon I’m sure.
If they’re smart they’ll cash in on tr00 hardcore, thrash metal and, Odd Future. I doubt they will though.
Time to die Hot Topic!
Actually you guys were talking about ICP and how you get lucky to find something from them, they actually have quite a few thing including shirts necklaces bracelets and a sling pack…And if you go onto the Hot Topic website the most popular bands are not pop or rap but today’s Metal “Screamo” and Rock.
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Yeah HT deffiinately needs their old CEO it has gotten kinda terrible. The ppl who used to make fun of me for shopping there are the same assholes who shop there now. To get their “swag” -.- ughh disgusting
I would be disgusted too. It’s very ironic, isn’t it?
Sigh I get so sad when I think of hot topic! I swear I was tro broke to buy hardly anything there but LOVED the clothes and once I finally got a job and made enough cash that’s when the change happened! FML!!!!!! Now I got to find a way to get matching bondage skirts and corsets over the internet with no computer (I’m on a cellphone right now)
The store really has changed. It’s gotten very mainstream. It did used to be really dark and unique, but eventually, it will completely lose the dark touch to it. As you can see, it still has it’s dark roots, but I can see that fading away. Kind of sad. No wonder so many people are shopping online now. I remember how Hot topic was when I was like…13 or so. In a way, I haven’t changed all too much since I’m still into ‘dark clothing’, and I still would love to have a pair of those ‘goth boots’ to rock over the fall and winter.
They don’t even sell those boots anymore and I just went on their website a few minutes ago,and the ‘Tripp’ link is completely gone. When I type in ‘tripp’ in the search box, hardly anything shows up but skinny jeans. I have no idea what that’s about, but yeah, Hot topic used to be a really unique store for everyone. Not anymore though.
Enjoyed that. Thanks for the forum.
Enjoyed that. Thanks for the forum.
I agree with all of you guys. The only thing I’ve seen them selling is EMO crap.
I’ve worked for HT for almost four years now, and I just felt like I had to justify some of the changes HT has made over the years…
Regardless of what anyone wants to argue, Hot Topic has always been “mainstream” in one way or another. Years and years ago when it was strictly “goth,” the goth scene was far more prominent than it is today. If the company was still selling the same exact selection of merchandise it was 10 years ago, it would quickly go out of business, because for the most part, nobody wants to wear Tripp pants and fishnet shirts anymore. Recently, when Lisa Harper became the new CEO, it was mandated that all HT stores were required to remove about 2/3 of their lighting to make the store dramatically darker, and we’ve since begun carrying some of the old product again (HT DOES carry corsets, fishnets, skulls, Tripp)… It’s just that these old products have to be added to the mix of other merchandise we carry because there isn’t a strong enough customer base for us to go strictly oldschool HT again. The company is making an effort to honor customers wishes and bring back some of that old merch, but the company wouldn’t be able to survive if that were the ONLY thing they carried.
What it really comes down to is that style and fashion trends change over time… If you walk into any store in the mall, I would be willing to put money on the fact that the selection of clothing and merchandise is different than it was even 5 years ago. Hot Topic has maintained that they’re all about the music since the beginning, but even what’s popular in music has changed… Somebody above mentioned that the store used to be fully stocked with AFI, but if you remember, you could hear “Miss Murder” on mainstream radio and see them in MTV about 6 years back. The music scene is constantly changing. And yes, HT cashed in on the Hip Hop scene, and are banking on Bieber and One Direction… And it is annoying, but the same money they’re making on Bieber allows them to things like Siouxsie and The Cure. From Behemoth to Manson to Motorhead – the metal is still very much there… Take a look at the internet store. A lot of this old school stuff is only available online, but they now offer in-store shipping from the internet store for 99 cents to make it more accessible to customers, even if it’s not necessarily worth stocking in store (space in-store has “cost” as well).
Anyway, I’m rambling… My point is, things change. It’s the nature of fashion, and music, and pop culture… Three things that Hot Topic specializes in. The company is doing it’s best to merge the old school feel with it’s new customer base and the products they’re interested in, but the goth scene as a whole has died off a lot, and it would be unreasonable to expect a store, in the mall of all places, to fully stock themselves with product that isn’t popular to the masses anymore.
Thanks for your srs thought out response to a comedy blog. (srs)
Th ability is yours.
Enjoyed that. Thanks for the forum.
When I went into my local Hot Topic for the first time in years a few months ago I was pretty disgusted to discover it’s hipster central now. But you know what I realized, the store is called “Hot Topic”. they sell what’s popular right now. Dubstep and big rimmed glasses are what is in right now, so they sell that shit. I do miss it how it was when I first started going there when they had a lot of Pantera, Dropkick Murphys, MM, NIN stuff. But that is when that stuff was popular, now it’s Justin Bieber and Wiz Khalifas turn. In a year or two it will be something else, that’s pop culture for you.
My mom wouldn’t go in there. She would wait outside the store…she’d also talk me into not getting anything there. I would leave the mall empty-handed…
I so remember the old HT… Back when I was in middle school and like most people wanting to find myself while being myself shop at HT… It has changed so much I think it changed in 2005 when the emo and scene kids were big. I can remember it being dark gothic and punk… I still remember my clear blue spiked chain bracelet I got from there and would get in trouble for wearing to school lol and the pixie dust/glitter their makeup was alot better as well ahh nostalgia I wish it could come back this was 2001-2003 : )
Hot topic definitely did get bought out to Hollister. As a goth myself i was never allowed to shop there, so by the time I started it had went to shit. But I still get some stuff from there, they still have SOME gothy inclined things there.