We Checked In on Hot Topic. It’s Gone Mainstream.
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You don’t have to wear all black, drape yourself in chains, or sport multiple piercings to shop atHot Topicanymore. Back in the ’90s and 2000s, the brand was synonymous with subculture, the go-to place for kids who were into the punk, goth, and alternative scenes to buy studded-leather belts and nü metal band shirts. In the last decade, however, the store has undergone a serious vibe shift, catering much more to mainstream tastes with a plethora of music and pop-culture merch. To get some boots-on-the-ground intel on what’s trending with the current-day Hot Topic customer, I visited the store at my local mall to chat with shoppers who were browsingAdventure Timeenamel pins andKPop Demon Huntershoodies. Here’s what I learned.
My Favorite Finds at Hot Topic
The modern Hot Topic is a lot more mainstream than it used to be
Everyone I spoke to unanimously agreed that Hot Topic has “gone mainstream,” shedding its reputation as an exclusive destination for the “goth,” “emo,” or “alt” kids. Ruby, 29, and Matthew, 30, used to shop there when they were tweens in the mid-to-late aughts, and they remember how parents “would be afraid of their kids going in there, because the outside had almost a horror look to it. The sign had red lights around it. There’d bemassive gates at the entrance,” Ruby said. “It definitely used to be more heavily counterculture,” Matthew added.
Now, though, it’s much more welcoming to the general population, especially as the company has shifted its focus to pop-culture franchises within video games, TV, movies, and anime — especially anime. “I think branching into anime made the store much more approachable for a lot of people,” said Jonathan, 28. Smash-hit shows likeJujutsu Kaisen, Demon Slayer,One Piece, andChainsaw Mancommand viewers in the hundreds of millions — and if you want to broadcast your membership in the fandom with a Yuja Itadori plushie or a Luffy hat, Hot Topic has you covered. Disney, Marvel and DC Comics, Sanrio, and Studio Ghibli also feature prominently in the store’s offerings, so there’s basically “a little bit of everything for everyone,” said one employee, who would only speak to me anonymously.
That means it’s much more difficult to describe the average Hot Topic shopper. The employee told me that they notice an equal amount of guys and girls coming in, ranging in age from tweens to late 20s. “I wouldn’t say there’s a distinct person who shops here,” said another shopper named Andrew, 19. “There’s not really a true way to say,Oh, I know they shop at Hot Topic.”
But everyone I talked to, even those who fondly recalled Hot Topic’s earlier days, felt positively about the shift, saying it was ultimately a good thing that the store now appeals to more people. “I remember coming here when I was younger and the vibe was way more dark, but now it’s more bright and colorful. Some people are like,I wish it was still the way it used to be,but I think it’s cool,” said Amberlyn, 20. And Mario, 19, added, “It’s not a bad thing because that’s what Hot Topic is about. It’s about the biggest topics.”
Graphic tees reign supreme
When I asked shoppers how they would describe their personal style, multiple people said, point blank, “Graphic tees.” And they were in the right place — the store’s graphic tees selection is enormous, spanning the entire length of not one but two walls. Susana, 20, had bought a shirt with a cat meme on it; Sally, 19, had picked up a Tokidoki shirt; and Mario and Patrick, 19, were more into wrestling. (Mario recently bought a wrestling tee with Pénta on it, and Patrick bought one featuring CM Punk.) “There was a point in time where I would come shop for you here and I couldn’t find any shirts to get you because you already had all of them,” said Em, 21, to their friend Kaden, 21.
Band merch remains a big draw
“I always hear people being like,It used to be just all band shirts, band shirts,” the employee told me — a statement backed up by the customers I spoke to, who mentioned collecting Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance, and Iron Maiden merch in their younger years. Nowadays the selection is a bit different, but Hot Topic shoppers remain music lovers: Kale, 21, picked up shirts from Deftones and Sleep Token; Jonathan is a Slipknot fan; Susana listens to Evanescence, Pierce the Veil, Cigarettes After Sex, and System of a Down; and Mario likes rock bands like Queen and AC/DC.
GIR is still universally beloved
Lots of people had cherished memories of GIR, the green dog fromInvader Zim.Amanda, 25, and Anthony, 26, said they used to drop into Hot Topic on their way home from school every day when they were kids: “We liked the little green guy, GIR. That was our big thing anytime we went in the store,” Amanda said. And Sally remembered that for her 12th birthday, she was gifted “a Hot Topic shopping spree and I bought all the GIR items. So when we were walking by, I was like,We have to go inside. I see GIR in here,” she said. Hot Topic, it seems, has clocked the character’s nostalgic appeal; at the store I visited, there was an entire display dedicated to GIR apparel, and there were multiple GIR-themed accessories like socks and bags sprinkled throughout the store as well.
Keep an eye out for rave attire
Kale and Sally had plans to attend some upcoming music festivals, so they were eyeing the assortment of colorful leg warmers and fingerless gloves. “I just grabbed these hand warmers because we’re going to a rave called Apocalypse that’s zombie themed, so I thought they might be appropriate,” Sally said. She added that she mostly comes to Hot Topic for “statement pieces, not staple pieces” — which she defines as clothes that are suited for special occasions but more difficult to style for every day.
Don’t overlook the beauty section
Amanda said that as an adult, she mostly visits Hot Topic to browse the selection of hair dye and other beauty products — which I was unaware the store even carried. When I went to poke around, I was pleasantly surprised and intrigued by aTwilight-themed perfume that had notes of lavender and freesia; some funky press-on nails from Hot Topic’s in-house line, Blackheart; and bottles ofArcane-branded hair dye from Arctic Fox. I was less interested in the makeup, which leaned kitschy (thinkMonster Higheyenshadow and Winnie the Pooh lip gloss), but I can see them being a good fit for tweens who are curious to start experimenting with their look.
The collectibles are more for dabblers than serious collectors
Hot Topic carries lots of blind boxes, collectible cards, and figurines, but the selection is more suited for people like Anthony and Andrew, who casually pick up items now and then, rather than more serious collectors. Andrew bought somePokémon cardsthe last time he visited, and Anthony is always on the lookout for “Star WarsFunko Popslike Darth Vader and theNew Hopeones,” he told me. Patrick also likes collectibles, but mostly shops for them elsewhere “because Hot Topic doesn’t always have the stuff I want. I’d usually just go to the Funko Pop store.”
A couple of people also mentioned browsing the blind boxes; Hot Topic had a prominent floor-to-ceiling display containing a huge assortment, including familiar figures from properties like Hello Kitty,Littlest Pet Shop, and Neopets.
The in-person shopping experience beats the online one …
Almost everyone I interviewed told me they’d rather shop in-store instead of on the Hot Topic website. Sally said she can’t see herself ever buying something online “unless they didn’t have it in my size in-store and I desperately wanted it.” People liked being able to try on clothes to assess the fit and material, especially since, as Em pointed out, “some of the stuff is really good, but some of it is also cheaper, so I like to make sure that what I’m buying is good quality.” And there’s something to be said for the experiential factor as well: the dark, grungy aesthetic, the Dead Posey and Sleeping With Sirens songs blasting over the speakers. “It’s more fun to do it in person. I impulse buy less, too, because I have to think a lot more, whereas it’s not real when it’s on the internet,” Kale said.
… But check out the website if you want a deal or exclusive items
Kaden says they’ll check the website here and there for discounts that aren’t available in-store, and signed up to receive text alerts about sales that are happening. Ruby also has the Hot Topic app on her phone, which she’ll browse sometimes. Andrew said that sometimes Hot Topic carries merchandise that’s online exclusive, so he’ll give it a glance if there’s something specific he wants. But all three mentioned that going in person is their preferred way to shop. “At the end of the day, what’s online is just a picture,” Andrew said.
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