A Deep Dive Into Hot Topic

[@tobbatticus]

The crazy thing about the whole "I miss the old Hot Topic!!1!" discourse is... my local Hot Topic actually has _loads_ of great alternative clothes and accessories. Yeah, there's a bunch of anime shirts and general geek stuff, but there's also racks upon racks of emo hoodies, tripp pants, studded belts, tons of awesome stuff! The real enemy we need to unite against is the prices...

[@randomtinypotatocried]

I'm always confused by that discourse since the ones I've been to more recently still has this stuff. It's just they're aiming more towards the anime fandom and getting more Japanese fashion in there. Besides every few years even during the "old Hot Topic" days, they were switching up their main focus

[@werewolfpoet]

honestly the only reason why i think people bring that up is because the things they sell now is just cheap materials, and not genuine enough. and by that i mean how it doesnt give off that same vibe it did years ago. i have a couple things from the old hot topic era (2000-2010's), and comparing it to todays items its such a difference. another reason is how they used to sell unique sets of clothing like dropdead if i remember correctly? iwrestledabearonce, choonimals(?), just old band tee's or shirts and tanks with a "quirky/edgy" look that people wish they brought back. its so sad how what they sell now is just brain rotted stuff, corny things that are hard to look at, and stuff that doesnt even really look good imo.. but theres nothing people can do abt it sadly.

[@Kaylaw9]

I just wish they still sold Living Dead Dolls in store and had the circle doorway.

[@Rivkaaaaaaa]

Same

[@giselletorres4156]

It's also weirdo behavior because ppl have different ideas on "old" hot topic. Ppl refer to late 90s early 00s hot topic and now suddenly everyone misses early 2010s hot topic? I literally grew up when ppl called early rawr hot topic as it's "fall". And yeah I love Social Collision and Thorn and Fable right now but nobody will be happy I guess.

[@skrtskrt22]

the way I see it, they’re keeping up with their name- hot topic. they’re keeping up with the hot topics of today. I think nostalgia just has a chokehold on some of us.

[@Mrchair905]

Exactly correct, a lot of us that were around at the time are approaching or are already in our thirties, we gotta accept that times and culture change and we’re no longer really in on the hottest topics lol.

[@messyjesse1173]

She said no one has stayed the same for for all this time.... Spencer's gifts have literally stayed the same. If anything they have run more true to their original format and the people who shop there. They haven't changed as much as Hot topic. Hot topic just wanted to make money and that's it. They don't care about the people who shop there and their fashion they just cared about money and more inclusiveness

[@monroe7532]

My hot topic mainly just has older gen x and millennial customers, the way I see it, the NEED to keep up with counter culture bc 1.) it’s in their name and 2.) it’s the only way to stay current with customers, you don’t really want to age with you customers when you’re a business named “hot topic”

[@XxLochNessiexX]

The thing is, it was mostly used ironically before as being alternative wasn’t openly popular like it is today They made one store to cater for the misfits like us and yes it was a hot topic for us but not for most of the rest of the world In this case, they’re taking the store name unironically and that’s the issue imo They’re conforming now, and it was meant as a safe haven away from the conformists trying to judge us before

[@CriticalCritter]

@@XxLochNessiexX omg dressing different isn't a subsitute for a personality nor culture. it's 2024 you can't be using the term "conformists" unironically. did something awful happen to you during your childhood?

[@nicks4802]

If your sweater had thumb holes in the sleeves back in 2007, clap your hands! *the sounds of soft patting of sleeved palms*

[@Mrchair905]

I have a nine inch nails hoodie that I still wear that has thumb holes on the sleeves, made me feel nostalgic when I got it lol.

[@TheCoolTrashCat]

I'm 33 and I STILL add thumb holes to my long sleeves and jackets lmao

[@mewoyi]

this or just ripping a hole in your sleeves if you didnt have any already

[@nicks4802]

Yo keep these lil freshies off my posttt 🤣

[@mewoyi]

@@nicks4802 who now? 😕

[@thecannibalcookout]

i work at hot topic and it kinda baffles me that there are still people who come in and gawk at the "scary store", like one of the first things you see in my store is a sanrio section. i do scare the shit out of people when i sneak up and ask if theyre finding everything okay

[@shawnlynn3831]

I work at a gas station and work alone for the most part, so I like to do the same thing when possible.

[@Nibblys_Sacrifice]

Omg please, I wish I shopped at your store😭(I'm too young to work at hot topic yet but it's like literally one of my top 5 dream jobs😭)

[@mintygreenleaf864]

@@Nibblys_Sacrificeon god its actually a pretty chill job. Still a job tho so dont take it lightly

[@annabethkvenvolden7086]

Honestly this new generation full of a bunch of bland pansies

[@curepinkie1637]

fellow hot topic employee!!!! hiii!!!!

[@cassandralyris4918]

Hey, resident GEN X old fart here. Hot Topic has ALWAYS carried otaku stuff, because in the 80's & 90's anime WAS considered counter culture. I got my first official anime merch from HT in 1995, and this was before video and music stores started carrying anything. Before that you'd have to get stuff from the back of an Antarctic Press Manga. (Told you I was old) It hasn't changed that much. Ironically they've turned away (slightly) from the "mall goth" aesthetic because people turned them into a joke. There's always been an air of gate keeping around shopping at Hot Topic since it first arrived. SO my hot (topic) take is this: If you like what you see through the window, get it. And if you don't, don't. It's fine either way. That's how it has always been with HT. I am willing to bet money I don't have that that's how it's going to stay. Like I said, hasn't really changed all that much.

[@Zectifin]

It always had a bunch of random merch for pop culture stuff. I started going there to buy Aqua Teen Hunger Force stuff before I started getting in metal and eventually went there later for band tees. They just switched to more merch because its what sold.

[@numbvox]

Exactly. It has ALWAYS been a pop culture store. It's called "Hot Topic" because it caters to the "hot topics" of the day.

[@slayerofthebuzz1]

In the 90's, Hot Top taught me that what's counterculture becomes pop culture at a lightning pace. First place I ever saw Akira merch.

[@LadyHawke78]

“From the back of an Antarctic Press manga” really got me in the feels… 😭 (Fellow late-GenX here too.) Wonder if anyone else remembers laserdisc catalogs? I remember first getting exposed to anime like Ahh Megamisama and Kimagure Orange Road thru those catalogs. (I also first remember reading Project A-Ko manga in “floppy” format… yes I’m ancient.)

[@Holographichaven]

RIP Suncoast

[@mayamoon9207]

I remember being a baby emo in the Netherlands, wishing we had Hot Topic over here because I thought it was just the coolest store ever

[@BixBixby-j6c]

Same here in the UK! I nearly cried when I finally got to go to one on a trip to Florida

[@Mady_Cat]

Shout out to the vondel park emo meetings 💀 If you've gone to the OG meetings, you deserve a veterans discount 💀 😂

[@murdocnl]

Is Large magazine still a thing? 👴🏻

[@DutchEmblem]

Same here :(

[@CapnCrimson]

Same for me in Denmark lmao

[@ZackarySmigel]

Hot Topic was INSANELY influential during my teenage years. I'll never forget buying my first Blink-182 and Breaking Benjamin T-shirt there. How iconic.

[@remembertofeelreal]

YOOOOO I WATCH UR VIDEOS

[@anni8]

this! one of my core memories is buying death note & hatsune miku tshirts in hot topic, man like... pretty much 15 years ago now!

[@SlapStyleAnims]

Hell yeah. Breaking Benjamin is awesome

[@marsoblivi0n945]

@@SlapStyleAnims😂 emo poser cry baby wanna be punk. Not much more insufferable than that. Might as well be Taylor Swift. Blink 180 💩. Goes against everything true punk rock is and can be any genre. But the lifestyle and belief system is what is import with punk. It’s anything from crass, New York dolls to Elliot smith. But never is punk rock blink or Green Day or any of these mainstream acts. Exactly why MGK can exist. 🤮 punk isn’t a fashion statement. Your born with a certain outlook and belief system. The rest is by having eyes and society turning you into one. None of this bands are profound whatsoever. It’s a pop money machine that stand for nothing. Goes Against everything any artist stands for. You’ll also never hear a real artist refer themselves as an artist. Should always be a red-flag when you hear someone address themselves in that manner ever opportunity they can get. Always below mediocre and just narcissistic poser conmen.

[@PunkRockGamer-824]

Nice choices, it's also nice to see a fellow Blink-182 fan.

[@Alison.Uncouth]

As a mid 30s Elder Emo, I'm also just glad that Hot Topic is still around and I hope it still helps kids get into new alt music to this day. Shit is not gunna say the same as it was in high school in 2006 y'all, I don't understand this expectation at all. We didn't even think that Hot Topic was cool back then... It's nostalgia. And I probably shop there more now than I used to 😂

[@plushdragonteddy]

i felt the need to inform u that the words “elder emo” blended together in my head, so i thought this comment started with “as a mid 30s elmo” and i had to really re-read it a couple times to get it right fnfnfnfb

[@Zectifin]

yeah people were always shitting on hot topic in the mid 2000s. it was for the more mainstream stuff and pretty much originated the term "mall goth". It had way more nu metal and really popular emo stuff than anything else, but it was a great gateway. I started going to hot topic as a teen and stopped when I got into other genres of music that they didn't carry there because they weren't popular enough and started going to small local alternative clothing and merch stores.

[@CyrusChennault]

Took me a while to accept that scene wasn't the "hot topic" anymore. Ill always miss my Era but I'm glad it still exists, even though they carry more pop and rap t shirts than actual bands.

[@blackdirtlover]

90s emo here and 43 😂 it was mainstream by then sorry

[@blackdirtlover]

​@@Zectifinit was mainstream by then anyway😂 the 90s hot topic was the most edgy sorry to inform

[@marujohnson1915]

as an European that visited the US last year, Hot topic was a must-visit for me and i was absolutely not disappointed. Felt like a kid in a candyshop.

[@MsMvsc]

You missed out on peak 00s years. Now it's pretty lame.

[@collecticus]

Now you need to check out Spencer's.

[@Mrchair905]

That and Spencer’s Gifts are a must at any mall.

[@laeminiscence]

same here 😭😭 it was a geek/alt paradise for me

[@SBBunny93]

@@MsMvsc I would argue you just grew out of it.

[@jml6263]

I remember as a 9 year old child being legit afraid to go into Hot Topic lol. It truly felt so dark and mysterious. Growing up was finally going into the Hot Topic and just mingling for no reason, looking at miles upon miles of novelty shirts.

[@bloodlove93]

wow....while i didn't know about it back then i can't imagine I'd feel similarly. my first song album when i was 5 was the soundtrack to the crow movie,iykyk ...it's twisted. and i was around 8 when 9/11 happened, i remember it clearly, i watched it happen on tv,i remember blinking and thinking "guess people are about to die" and that's it. but tbf my first memory is weird, just a nebulous black room with no beginning or end, and endless glowing red spiders hanging from seemingly nowhere. it's the earliest thing i can recall, never freaked me out,odd considering irl I hate spiders.

[@marsoblivi0n945]

😂 my daughter starting going in the hot topic just to laugh at everything before she even started school. It’s weak asf to people that have grown up with real musicians, punks and artists. It couldn’t be anymore vanilla. Even in 2005.

[@Yungroze]

@@marsoblivi0n945Cool story.

[@darkdemigod]

@@marsoblivi0n945 lmao "real" musicians that know 3 chords, trust fund babies with too much time on their hands, and wankers. I doubt you've ever known anyone real in your life.

[@sailorstar3148]

I remember going into hot topic when I was 8 and there were My Little Pony friendship is magic merch in the store and I really wanted it but unfortunately, the shirts were too big for me, but now that I’m older, I can fit the shirts and I will soon be the pastel goth or scene kid

[@AspenSauce]

one of my first memories was walking into the huge doors of hot topic and getting my hair sprayed with glitter by an alternative girl that worked there and i think it changed my life

[@roseackackack8547]

I know you mean you got your hair sprayed with glitter in like a chair or something but I'm picturing a woman just going "welcome to hot topic!" and then she sprays your hair with tons of glitter

[@Headbangerz1984]

@@roseackackack8547that’s what I thought too haha 😭

[@MusicFromAnotherTime]

The older I get, the more I have hope for the next generation of teens anytime I go into my local decrepit mall and still see mall goths hanging out in front of Hot Topic. I love them. Please never die. 💀❤

[@Raebrained]

Awwww that truly melts my lil black heart 🥹🖤🖤🖤

[@thanatoast]

Ebony Dark'ness Dementia Raven Way would never have allowed Hot Topic to become preppy if she was here with us 😢

[@user-xv3vy8sp1x]

THIS HAS BEEN LOCKED IN MY SUBCONSCIOUS HOW DARE YOU BRING IT BACK TO LIGHT XDD

[@Asparagutz]

Can someone join me in a séance to bring her back, we NEED her presence

[@jffry890]

Boomer here. That's a My Immortal reference, right?

[@VaporNinjaVD]

I think what's funny about Hot Topic and often misconstrued is that its kinda always been a pop culture store that pivoted to being an alternative/counter culture store. It's why its called Hot Topic in the first place, if it had first opened in the modern day it woulda probably been named "Trendy" or "All the Rage" 💀

[@CyrusChennault]

Yep. My Era was the scene kid 2007 Era, screamo deathcore pop pink was jus?t starting to replace post hardcore at warped tour. Took a while to accept that wasn't the "hot topic" of todays teens. Its now oversized Olivia Rodrigo and Billie eilish t shirts. Ill always miss my Era but I'm glad HT is still around, since everything else like Sears, Fry's and soon Best Buy is going out of business.

[@dankbudew4830]

Just looking at old videos of Hot Topic, it definitely looks like another world. Sad I was still a toddler back in its heyday. I discovered HT when I was 13/14 about to enter high school, but it was already transforming into a more pop culture-centered place and not much of the Goth Wonderland I hoped to see

[@ChannelWackadoo]

Why does everyone always ignore the rave scene part of Hot Topic?! When I shopped there from like 1997-2003, it was mostly a raver store. They'd be blasting techno music & selling massive phat pant JNCO jeans along with glowsticks & other rave toys. It was barely a gothic emo store but mostly rave! PLUR (Peace Love Unity Respect) ❤

[@KittyWampus89]

Same. The rave days were my era of Hottopic. Tripp was kind of new, and the bondage pants fit it right away but like Kikwear, Caffienes and Macwear were like the dominant brands, and no one ever remembers them. (But then again the people who make videos about "The early 2000s" were in elementary school in 2003, and it's like us looking back on Hair Metal. They don't remember a time when Hot Topic wasn't just a dark-painted ThinkGeek.)

[@ChannelWackadoo]

@KittyWampus89 Haha, so true! Also LOVE the brands Kik Wear, Caffeine, Macgear, etc. I actually still wear all those brands! I saved a lot of my clothes from the 90s & recently have been buying new JNCOs from their website. But ya, I really miss the rave era of Hot Topic and raving every weekend from like 1998-2003! I had so much fun back then! - Eat. Sleep. RAVE! Repeat. 🕺

[@Kel_Varnsen]

Man yall took me back with the mention of Caffeine clothing. I still have my Caffeine shirt from like '99 I think. I wish they still made clothing.

[@lainiwakura1776]

When I went during that era, it was mostly goth stuff with some raver stuff and lots of Invader Zim.

[@Mr.White10-65]

I do remember them having furry pants back when XTC was big.

[@Zalaneax]

this reminded me how I FOUGHT to get the perfect black skinny jeans. The ones in the store were so expensive at the time, I ended up hand sewing my boot cut jeans (with floss) to fit super tight! I even dyed a pair because they were too light lol

[@dreamyjellies]

DIY-ing your own skinny jeans to be tighter and darker is so punk rock

[@Megara.x]

I want to like this comment twice, sewing with floss is wild

[@DementedDistraction]

Reminds me of being in high school and not being able to afford a Nine Inch Nails t-shirt, so I just took one of my cheap, plain black shirts and painted the NIN logo on it with White-Out. It was funny because other kids in school were asking me where I got it because they'd never seen that NIN shirt in the stores, lol.

[@Shadow._.Foxi64]

Something that I’ll never not think of is how alt my mom used to be before I was born. She used to work at hot topic back when it was at its peak, and she even went to go see mcr with my dad back when Black Parade first released. Hell, she even met the band members at the hot topic she worked at before the show apparently!! She was quite literally living the 2000s emo dream. Unfortunately she got rid of most of her alt stuff when I was born because she wanted to look like a responsible mother. Both me and her regret that she did that bc I’m alt now. She kept a couple of her belts though, and I use them frequently!!! My favorite is this yellow studded one she had with the old logo on the back❤

[@oooh19]

Ugh that’s so sad! She can be a great alt mom lol. What’s with all the rules?

[@Shadow._.Foxi64]

@@oooh19 wdym rules?? if you want to know, my mom is pretty chill lol. We talk like we’re friends all the time.

[@Zectifin]

this story is adorable.

[@colorbar.s]

​@@Shadow._.Foxi64 they meant the societal rules making your mom feel like she had to throw her stuff out haha

[@KaraOfTheSea]

I am probably around your mom's age and was an alt kid. The mainstream political climate at the time was turning ultra conservative due to the events in Columbine in 1999, September of 2001, and the Iraq war in 2003. So if she remained alt when raising you, she would have been put under so much unwarranted scrutiny and been harassed by ignorant people. So I understand why she chose to change her style. Also there was still so much job discrimination if you had fun colored hair and tatoos that weren't easily covered. I remember having to take my nose ring out for work and I was told by my boss if I dyed my hair blue, I would be fired.

[@Morto1899]

The Hot Topic near me may have updated their merch but still kept the dim lights and dark aesthetic. I didn't realise this was rare until I saw videos like this and went to a Hot Topic in another state.

[@CyrusChennault]

The HT i been going to as a kid recently remodeled. The walls, floors and ceilings are all WHITE and its bright asf..... Kills me inside 😭

[@lainiwakura1776]

Yeah, the Hot Topics near me still have black walls and ceilings.

[@therealsilly]

my local hot topic is dark with black walls and stuff, and then i went to one in florida and it was so bright?? it was so jarring

[@woodlandcollective]

hot topic for me was that place i always wanted to go into but nobody who took me to the mall ever had any interest in it. now that i'm an adult i'm too broke to go anyways :(

[@OtakuTemmie]

There was a really cute pair of jeans with Halloween patches all over them but I was broke at the time and said I'd come back. When I went back they were completely sold out 😔😔

[@madedgar]

I was just wishing for a new Dream Jelly video the other day while looking for something to watch with lunch lol

[@manifestationsofasort]

I still miss Hot Topic's first era. You can't get any CDs there anymore, nor can you get the more ethereal pieces they made in their early years. I've slowly been collecting and remaking some of those vintage Morbid Threads dresses, and they're just on another level. If they started making those and some of their old ethereal goth things again, I'd be over the moon.

[@Imakebootysclap]

I got a pair of pants at Burlington coat factory, they reminded me of the old hot topic pants, baggy lots of cargo pockets and zippers. I miss the old style.

[@robinnicole4466]

You can't get CDs anywhere artists don't make CDs albums get released on streaming services

[@ctlaserdisc]

@@robinnicole4466 record stores still exist, they're just less common. you can also find a lot of cds online but sometimes shipping can be pricey. they aren't as common anymore for sure which is a shame as a cd enthusiast myself, but you can definitely find them! this mainly applies to my experience since i'm in canada though. they might not be as common where you live.

[@TeruteruBozusama]

To me hot topic was a seemingly affordable pop culture store I wanted to buy from, but the shipping prices to my country were so high I didn't buy anything after all.

[@clauliz5502]

Personally, im just happy Hot Topic gives general masses the opportunity to engage and appreciate the animation medium as something more than one typically sees.

[@hazyapricot1315]

i would BEG my mom to go into hot topic and eventually finally got my wish. got cat ear hair clips & got dunked on at school the next day- mom swore it was hot topics fault but it was just me lmao

[@minimina1313]

I worked at hot topic for a bit from around 2016-2018 and it was pretty damn good for a retail job. It came with the usual retail bs like shit pay, irregular hours, no benefits, etc, but it was mostly good vibes besides that. Most of the customers were a joy to deal with (except pop collectors, fucking hate them) and my coworkers and I would have a blast singing along to the music. My store was at a dying mall (now dead, I called it when I said it'd die within 5 years after I left) so I would use the slow periods to just fold t-shirts and reorganize the jewelry. That was my jam. So was the music we had almost full control over from a very large selection provided by corporate. I'd hear people talk about the old hot topic all the time but ht never stopped selling alt stuff. They cut down on it cause it wasn't a big seller but you could still get plenty online. These days, a lot of what they sell in store is really reminiscent of the styles from 20 years ago since that's come back in style. I honestly with I could've stayed but it didn't pay the bills. A random anecdote, my store was one of the very few left that had the gates since it wasn't worth it to renovate it (remember what I said about the dying mall?). Those gates were suuuuuper unsecure. It was a 3 part "lock" essentially. There were L shaped bars that'd drop into holes in the floor when the gates were closed, then a deadbolt in the gate doors, then a lock on the chain. Thing is, you could reach through the gates to lift the L bars (which you had to do to open them anyway) and pull the gates open and the deadbolt would just slip out. The only thing that actually secured the gates was the lock on the chain. Half the time, I didn't even bother touching the deadbolt when opening or closing the gates. Also, I found a long dead mouse in the loft one time. It was under a box of super old bags with the red logo.

[@notyoursavior78]

Interesting story about the gates. I would have loved to just fold shirts stress free and listen to their music during slow times. Whatever heh it would still bring some money in.

[@Tina-ts9wv]

"Nightmare Jelly" was right there

[@joshipuro]

Hot Topic has definitely had anime merch for longer, because when I was a teen in high school, from about roughly 2005 to 2008, my wardrobe mainly consisted of anime tshirts and oversized tripp pants, both of which I would get from Hot Topic. Anime hoodies, too. They also carried Japanese rock merch (it had its moment of popularity for awhile there), which was really cool to live in, like, Alabama and go to the local mall to buy Jrock cds, dvds, magazines (carried Gothic & Lolita Bible as well) and tshirts. The cashiers knew my ass and one was even a classmate that would play Dir en grey every time I walked in lmao. Disney, though mostly Alice in Wonderland and Tinkerbell were also there, popular and usually on the same wall with Gir from Invader Zim and South Park lmao.

[@Kaitou1412Fangirl]

Oh. My. Gosh. As a visual kei fan, I would lose my *mind* seeing Jrock stuff in a Hot Topic!

[@SeventhSilhouette]

loved the video! i spent A LOT of time at hot topic in middle school (that was over 10 years ago lol... i'm 25 now T_T it got to the point that if i was a few cents or even a dollar off my checkout price sometimes they would just wave it off cause i was a "regular". the employees then were so cool and they are still cool to this day! they are always sweet and interested in what you're buying. i go to get ugly anime graphic tees bc i grew up into a graphic tshirt person despite disavowing them in hs lol. anyways i also love jelly tv time! i think it's so cool that you recommend videos you've enjoyed. i will probably go watch the doll musicals one - i watched a lot of barbie movies as a kid.

[@Tacom4ster]

I'm more of a metalhead, but I did buy shirts and metal spikes at Hot Topic when I was younger, it did made me feel cool

[@samurai_jack_1]

Same fellow metalhead

[@ironeddie9917]

Me too, but now they screwed that store up so much they don’t have none of that stuff anymore. It’s all butterflies and rainbows now.

[@te9591]

​@ironeddie9917 they traded gothic punk gear for knock knack collectible stuff. But couldn't one just make their own punk gear?

[@samurai_jack_1]

Yes they can

[@Runeinc]

See wall with Squee, Johnny the Homicidal Maniac and Lenore comics... Hit me right in my teens.

[@RizzyRamone67]

As a moody goth teenager stuck in Tasmania in the 90’s, I dreamed of going to a Hot Topic store! I had a couple of prized accessories I bought online (international shipping was a big deal back then!). I still use Torrid because it’s better than Australian plus size stores, but I wish it reflected Hot Topic as much as it used to. It got very vanilla.

[@OG.StrawberryGoat]

I miss my era of Hot Topic. But I can see why it's changed over the years. It literally follows the hottest topics at the time and caters to them

[@100lovenana]

I think one answer to why they changed is because Malls are no longer what they used to be in the U.S. It's common knowledge now on the internet that malls (and the mall culture it brought) are dying, so it shouldn't be surprising that Hot Topic has changed alongside the tides. It doesn't have a flashy entrance anymore because that was kind of part of Mall culture: to call attention an compete with other stores' images. I also blame the Minimalism plague that has taken over everything, from electronics to publicity

[@bellcorrz]

i s2g you have some of the best background music in your vids. some true early 2000s video game bangers.

[@prettypic444]

God I wasted so much time looking through hot topic as an early 2010s tumblr teen. So much quirky Doctor Who, Avengers, and Star Wars merch

[@DaredevilCoolcat13]

I just have one question, granted it’s kinda dumb: did they ever have one direction stuff?

[@Yungroze]

@@DaredevilCoolcat13they do (unfortunately.) Luckily it’s only online

[@amykins1161]

Thank you for mentioning Torrid! I opened the first Torrid location in Brea, CA. It was my first job at 15 - best first job ever for a plus-size teen who had been a regular at her local Hot Topic for years. As soon as my parents said I could get a job, I went straight to Hot Topic to see if they were hiring, and they said not for their store, but for the new store the company was opening. I will forever be grateful that the manager took a chance on a 15 year old kid with no experience to be part of her opening crew - I actually still talk to her and owe a good chunk of who I am today professionally to her. We became a family - called ourselves the "OTGs" (original Torrid girls) and to this day I still talk to a good number of them. Once the style of the store started changing (coinsiding with the changes HT was seeing), I transferred over to our mall's Hot Topic for another couple of years before I ended up leaving the company (for Disney, of all places). I still spend stupid amounts of money on both HT and Torrid's online stores. HT has been such a staple of my life for decades - this video brought me back so hard. Awesome job!

[@DhaniNMarie]

As someone who started going to Hot Topic in middle school solely for the Invader Zim merch and witnessed the introduction of the pop culture/anime/Tumblr fangirl merch take over the store when I was in high school, I still shop there no matter what. I mean, I miss the dark aesthetic, but hey, I can get a Suicide Silence band tee, some Pickle Rick socks, AND some MCU Funko Pops all in the same place. The only problem is that at my location, they're ALWAYS out of the good Pops, Pokemon tees in size 2X, and those sarcastic button pins for some reason.

[@CyrusChennault]

I have a hat signed by Mitch Lucker, from warped tour 2007 I think. RIP 😢

[@lindseynicole3405]

This video made me feel something that I havnt felt in years. Thank you dream jelly and thank you hot topic, being a teen in the peak of scene fashion was such a fun thing to experience. (Even if I was too "scared" to fully emerge myself into the fashion)

[@IvyTinwe]

In the german-speaking parts of Europe, there is a similar phenomenon with EMP. I remember looking at their catalogues and extensive music critiques around 2002, and slowly it shifted away from music (while still carrying bigger bands' merch and offering special editions), but they extensively promote their Marvel, Disney, Star Wars-stuff. Every second post they make is about one of these, and if you don't like any of them, you may not like it.

[@PeriluneStar]

OMG YES I'M SO EXCITED TO WATCH THIS

[@acheesepufffromspace8649]

just wanted to say that this video is absolutely wonderful and well-researched!! ❤ i also just wanted to put in my two cents as a plus size woman who’s always had a soft spot for hot topic, despite the (understandable) discourse around hot topic becoming more “safe” and “corporate” especially these days, I still like ordering clothes from there whenever I’m able to, mainly because it’s a lot more plus-size friendly now than it used to be, and imo it’s a much more affordable option to buying “alternative” style clothes than most (plus-size friendly) “alternative” stores especially whenever stuff’s on clearance or there’s a sale going on. I remember being 12-14 years old in 2009-2011 obsessed with the emo and scene subcultures (especially the latter) and wanting to buy clothes and accessories from there SO bad but I wasn’t really able to afford it at the time (plus as mentioned, it wasn’t nearly as plus-size friendly back then as it is now, so even if I were able to afford it at the time, I likely wouldn’t have had a lot of options clothing-wise and just hoped to be lucky enough to find something in a size XL or 2X, and afair my local mall didn’t have a torrid at the time either so I didn’t know it even existed until recent years lmfao). I think at that time I’ve only ever been there maybe once or twice with a couple friends and I felt like a kid in a candy store 😂 sadly I don’t remember if I ever actually bought anything from there nor do I remember if I still have anything from there if I did sorry for the infodump, again this is a very well-made and well-researched video essay, keep up the good work! ❤

[@kaygratv]

I LOVE Hot Topic jewelry. I recently picked up a really cute tea party earring set with a matching charm necklace and they're SO cute and good quality for the low pricetag.

[@DragonsHiddenDigs]

Absolutely loved this video! and love that you shouted out another super interesting looking video for me to watch next at the end! Never seen a youtuber do that before and I think thats hella cool!

[@harrisonmccartney4878]

I still remember when it was exclusively an industrial goth store in the post-Matrix early 2000's. The vibe back then was stuff like Marilyn Manson and Cradle of Filth, and it had the reputation of being "The Devil Store in the mall" lmao. Those were the glory days of Hot Topic for me.

[@Volundur9567]

Same. Got a :w:, Rammstein, VNV Nation and of course NIN shirt there. Plus they had the music. Even Assemblage 23, :w:, Cesium_137 and das Ich CDs was there.

[@te9591]

Yeah.

[@RedEyeDeath]

I love the Sims sound effects in this video. But overall, great deep dive video!

[@hollyjh3147]

As an autistic woman who was born in the 90’s in the US, Hot Topic was my favorite alt clothing store, and as I grew up it became one of my favorite merch stores. I loved gothic fashion and punk t-shirts back when I was a young emo child, and now I love cutesy stuff as an adult too, honestly I’ve always been able to find at least a couple of things in Hot Topic that made me bounce with joy. I’m 100% certain I started collecting badges/buttons because of them. I still have my very old some hat tattered gir t-shirt and an Tripp NYC corset I bought there (well, really begged my mom to buy for me when I was like 14 but still).

[@jalapeno1119]

Wtf does being autistic have to do with you liking Hot Topic

[@Reyd_01]

What the actual F does autism have to do with anything, let alone prove to sounding off in an incredibly socially oriented rant that almost all autistic people would avoid like a plague? This "As an autistic ____" is nearing comedy. I do get it though. Many of my goldfish are autistic as well. They can barely survive without daily affirmations either.

[@curepinkie1637]

​@@Reyd_01 congrats on being an ableist pos. them being autistic actually matters because we tend to have strange interests and hot topic is like a paradise to some of us. gtfo

[@justanautisticnerd8969]

Its always go back on "i wish the things in my childhood didnt change"

[@chaochow393]

*rolls CRT television and VHS player into the classroom* 📺 "Ok kids, quiet down, it's time to watch Dream Jelly!!"

[@dubiousbrick4483]

I have fond memories of being dropped off at the mall with my brother so he can go to work after school. He was 6 years older than me so during his junior and senior year of high school, I got to be a mall rat during my fifth and sixth grade years. I never fully leaned into Alt clothing because I didn’t have a job and my parents wouldn’t pay for it but the music is what gripped me. I was hooked on metal bands. Borrowing my brothers CDs and listening, downloading them onto my MP3 player. There is definitive image I have in my head when I think of hot topic. The music, mood, and lighting lighting all strike me as iconic along with the brick walls and arch ways, it was lil walking into a totally different section of the mall, it stood out. The brightest of dark corners, it was a beacon for alt groups and welcomed them, gave them and outlet to explore themselves and bump into to other like minded people. It’s where I got to talk about bands, anime, and movies to all my brothers coworkers on slow hours. Didn’t spend all my time there, crawling the mall to check out the book store and arcade were favorite pass times. Good times, good times. I’m just rambling now but I feel it’s a staple of culture, and even if times change, I want to see it be the beacon for others to express themselves

[@Angel-zz8ot]

I was emo in middle school back in 2008, when Twilight came out it made my love for Hot Topic even stronger! Looking back at my tween/ teen years now, I feel so happy knowing I got to experience this unique time period.

[@clubtonberry]

I remember when the Shadowhunters tv series came out several years back and Hot Topic had a collab. I paid SO MUCH money to have the clothing shipped here to Australia because it was really nice alt clothing (the white dress they did gave me life!). I feel like over here we didn't really miss it too much as we have Dangerfield and to a lesser extent JayJays (JayJays being more skater style, although it's more general street style these days) plus a heap of independent alt stores. It's so interesting seeing the history of Hot Topic, especially coming to this video as an international viewer, thanks Jelly!

[@pillboys]

lived in AU for 5 months and my god, dangerfield was almost everything i wanted hot topic to be. i was not capable of entering that store without buying something so i literally had to stop myself from going in whenever we went to the mall (fairly often).. at this point, i would swap HT with DF if i could! boxed lunch would make up for the gap of lost fandom merch pretty well

[@crescentfreshsongs]

There was a funny short period where Hot Topic still had the dungeon aesthetic, but malls were on life support, so one of the smaller malls I used to visit basically had four stores still running: One of those comics/cards/sports memorabilia shops that left three quarters of its floor space totally unused and felt like they were there without the mall owner even knowing about it. A shop selling pewter swords and wizard statues and absolutely nothing else. An understocked GameStop. Aaaand a Hot Topic with a big stone façade and colored lighting that looked like it barely changed since 1998 and was still popping off inside. It was hilarious and surreal. I haven't been to a mall since they redesigned Hot Topic (and haven't been inside a Hot Topic at all for about 20 years), but I'll always miss how mall stores used to feel like their own little pocket universes. Great times.

[@mc_lars]

Thanks for shouting out my song with the Matches at 07:00! Great video.

[@jesicaversichele1655]

I graduated hs in 2006 as one of the last goths going out as the emo kids were coming in as freshman. Back then reading the Anne Rice vampire books got me labeled a satanist when just a few years later it would have been completely mainstream to read about vampires.

[@kevinvassago]

OMG interview with a vampire😂 I haven't thought about that book in forever🤣🤣🤣 I read it in 7th grade when I first started dressing in all black. I was there when that switch happened from goth to emo, and then scene. I remember all the drama between the Goth and Emo kids😂😂😂 life was simpler back then. Remember those basic rubber bracelets that were really popular?? I use to have so many of them🤣

[@bananasplitlady3045]

I pretty much agree with everything you said and I'm not extremely bitter about it or anything, but my problem is just that everything is so homogenized now! Every store looks the same, every website looks the same. I like Pokemon, but I can go get a Pokemon T-shirt at Walmart. I can't get Siouxsie and the Banshees merch at Walmart. I've never seen a band perform inside a Walmart. A band did once perform in a Burger King not too far from me, but I didn't get to see them before they, presumably, got arrested or kicked out or something.

[@britishchick09]

I only shopped during the third era (mostly 2014), but I remember seeing the second era logo and archway when I was little! I loved the MLP and Sailor Moon stuff! :D

[@crownedroyalty6323]

I always look forward to see your new videos when they pop up in my feed!! Seriously though you inspire me to make video essays on niche nostalgia, maybe one day I’ll get around to it!

[@Gritherinthewoods]

I remember reading an article a while back about hot topic changing styles, and a manager at the time said one of the reasons was because they didn't want to be associated with school shootings.

[@MLBlue30]

Which doesn't make sense because most shooters dress pretty conservatively.

[@Kelly-Bean23]

It’s totally wild seeing footage of Fred at the mall in Omaha that I used to shop at. I spent a lot of time at that hot topic as a preteen! For anyone who didn’t know, Lucas is from Columbus Nebraska.

[@freetrialperiod]

omaha mentioned!!!

[@Dubsteppah]

Old genX raver here, used to buy actual rave pants like KikWear, Illig, etc without crazy straps and buckles and chains, etc. Just big rave pants to go party in, before Tripp and those other big pants with all the flair, but I remember a lot of stuff no one cares about haha

[@Dandre_Wheelies]

i remember the band shirts being good quality...now they are thin and stretch like crazy.

[@loverrlee]

I have many happy memories walking in my local mall and popping into Hot Topic. I still have a lot of the stuff I bought there over the years. I also love Torrid & BoxLunch, so it makes sense it’s owned by the same parent company.

[@ElusiaVT]

I LOVE THAT YOU'RE PLAYING THE BRATZ MUSIC FROM THE GAME BRATZ ROCK ANGELS KSJHDFDSKJHFSDKJF MY NOSTALGIA

[@HighAsHeckPriestess]

Hot topic was the starting place for me falling in love with alt fashion and just the art of styling in general. I have mixed feelings about the current era. I appreciate that its a place to get collectibles for a lot of things i like, and there's still neat accessories...but it lost the charm it had in the 2010s, or maybe its just that I'm an adult having to spend my own money and its like "ehhhhhh no" i dont miss the old topic. I just miss what it was like to shop there as a teenager

[@jammthejedi]

I vividly remember my dance teacher during this mid 2000s/early 2010s era would frequent hot topic for accessories for costumes, she loved it. Great place for gloves, bows/headbands, hats, statement earrings, and so many random accessories. (She also frequented Claire's but the vibe was different there, ya know?) She was an elderly lady, and had a sense of style definitely more typical for her age than anything close to what hot topic ever was or will be, but she always had a great eye for styles and was hip with the trends for her students lol. We used to give her a hard time about it though when she'd show off what we'd have for costume add-ons and we'd say to her "Did you go into the ~scary store~ again?" And she'd get all embarrassed that she was there at all. She despised the old black gate look for the store entrance and rejoiced when they changed it up to the brighter look. I'm pretty sure she ended up knowing most of the local hot topic managers by name and would call ahead looking for accessories in bulk. I miss that crazy lady sometimes.

[@Markimark151]

I remember when Hot Topic first sold vinyl records for certain bands like Panic at the Disco and way before the whole resurgence of vinyl in pop music! Even though I don’t shop there as much, I’m glad they had Nickelodeon cartoon merchandise like Avatar and The Loud House which I don’t see much merchandise in other stores. I’m glad that the store has become more family friendly than their previous era, because clothing stores need to adapt their style or they go out of business!

[@AGirlNamedCody]

Wow! What a blast from the past! That's me and my store at 18:23! And to be "that guy," we just called it the Rock Wall, and it had a VERY specific way that it needed to be merched. This was fun! Thanks for the reminder.

[@WildQuikee071]

I still have my Hot Topic Guy from when I worked there back in the 2010’s, he watches over my gaming controller😆

[@HamburgerAmy]

you've got to change with the times or get lost behind with them, so i'm happy to see it still going. ♥

[@nbdjz1058]

the way entering a hot topic for the first time changed my life... i was a 15 year old german baby emo, with no similar stores in my area, and when i went to the us and saw hot topic...i was OBSESSED.

[@AveryAnarchy]

The only thing I miss about stores like that in the early 2010s (here in Canada, we had dtox, which was just...Hot Topic, but Canadian. it shut down pretty quick though, and Spencer's scooped up the lost customers. I STILL have a dtox bag, to this day! they did reusable bags over plastic WAY before most others!) is the personality the inside of the stores had. I think THAT is what people truly miss and mean when they say they "miss the old Hot Topic" because as you said, the content sold itself is the same, time is a circle, Care Bears and Sanrio have the exact same target demographic. But the gates and gargoyles were unique and cool, and now it looks like you'd mistake it for a Gap if you walked by real fast and didn't read the sign. The design of the store itself doesn't read as edgy or alt at all, which gives it a loss of personality. That is the only reason I feel nostalgia for the 2010s, everything was so...artistic and personalized even when it was a mess of blingee gifs. you had FREEDOM to choose chaos if you wanted to! Now, everything looks the same, and freedom of choice for the user/consumer just No Longer Exists. It's just about getting that sense of art back, I think. Putting a gothic gate in a storefront is SO creative, and I'd never see it happen today. and that's sad.

[@chalupa_cobra]

They had a great line of Morbid Makeup too. I LOVED their bright purple mascara and eyeliner. Also spent an obscene amount of money on band tees and horror movie shirts there as a teen 🥲

[@absotivelypawsilutely]

Where I lived as a teen dressing in scene/emo/punk/goth style was a like crime punishable by many many years of harsh bullying, so I always used to look at things in America like Hot Topic and the whole culture surrounding it (and the fact that all of my favourite bands went to more places there since I missed out on that too) with such envy. Like sure you'd probably still get pestered a bit by some people but in my head being there was the solution to all of my problems at the time XD Honestly I think where Hot Topic messed up was just the store redesigns, they could probably have the same stuff as they do now and if they hadn't switched to such bland and bright stores it probably would've been okay. Working with bands less also seems like it was a mistake, but I think people would be more able to let that go if the shops looked good. However I tend to think that most shops are too bright lighting-wise. I get the theory behind it but it makes having to go to the shops more difficult than it needs to be. White or cream walls and lots of lights is just a recipe for sensory overload. If I had access to Hot Topic I'd still pop in though, they still have some stuff I like, and it'd make the teen version of myself happy to know future me went there. Weirdly my favourite pizza place when I was younger actually had the same aesthetic as Hot Topic had in the 90s to early 00s. They were also the only place that had pizza I could actually eat, and they offered dessert pizza XD

[@helRAEzzzer]

We got bullied here, too. In my area north of Boston, Massachusetts, USA, we just didn't really care much. It was always the ditsy girls just trying to get a rise out of us while secretly loving us; they got pissed that we would just brush off their comments.

[@Bri9282]

I loved Hot Topic as a teen of the early 00s. Now as a 30something year old, I still visit when I pop into the mall, and usually make a purchase. It has grown with the world, because things can’t stay the same forever. Hot Topic is cool with me 👍

[@Saintnick90]

I've never bought anything from Hot Topic, although my mom did buy band T-shirts and accessories (like a Social Distortion wallet with a chain that...feels very impractical in hindsight), so I've never had any strong feelings about it one way or the other. If anything, the thing that has kept me away from there is that their stuff is pretty overpriced for what it is. My memories of it largely stem from posting on the MTV Message Boards between 2003 and 2005 where people were really divided over it. Some thought it was the coolest store ever, others loved to go on about how it was a corporate commodification of alternative genres and also that Good Charlotte and Avril Lavigne are posers and AFI's old stuff was so much better than their newer stuff. (It got very repetitive, as you can tell.) Thank you for bringing up "Hot Topic is Not Punk Rock." I remember hearing rumors that some stores would sell MC Lars' CD next to displays of every item he mentioned in the song. (If it's true, that's actually really funny.)

[@Xaina.Sarpenta]

I think it would've helped a lot more people understand what Hot Topic was all about if their slogan was, "The hot music" - Hot Topic: The hot music. It would have emphasized that they're matching with whatever topic was currently hot, and having a high focus on music.

[@rattlethatanimation]

Love your inclusion of sims 2 ds music. Such an amazing soundtrack that doesn't get enough recognition

[@ScaerieTale]

I miss being a mall/Hot Topic goth, but I love that the store is actually still around today

[@boomersaurus]

Oh man. I'm old. I remember as a kid going in and the store blasting Rammstein's Reise, Reise album so loud parents and most people refused to go in. The music was so loud you couldn't even hear your friend telling you how the mall goth chain pants were cooler than JINCOs. I grabbed a copy of JTHM there and band shirts like Mayhem. Now when i walk past a Hot Topic in the local decaying mall it might as well be a Disney Store or a off brand FYE; so guess they just returned to their roots.

[@mjxc1627]

for me, hot topic can never get over the catch 22 of being a commercial LLC chain across from Auntie Anne's Pretzels. You can't buy a subculture at the mall

[@kaylim8644]

I’m from the middle era of Hot Topic. It equal parts enticed and intimidated me. It was THE source for pyramid stud belts. As a full adult I now realize how crap their body jewelry was. I bought a whole pack of colorful crackle patterned belly rings. Each lasted an average of two weeks of wear before one of the balls would fall off during the day.

[@MewCocoa]

There was a reference to Hot Topic in Gravity Falls. It was called “Edgy on Purpose “ instead XD

[@sinclair1674]

This video was really well made, down to the shoutouts at the end! You got a new sub!

[@joaosegan1820]

I think people who miss the old Hot Topic and people who hated the store back then are completely different audiences: The people who miss it were probably teenagers at the height of emo's popularity in the 00s, they probably didn't care about the whole commercial aspect, they just wanted cool shit and good music. The people who hated hot topic were mostly adults who thought that 00s emo wasn't "real emo" or punk.

[@Yungroze]

Obviously…

[@psfilmsbob]

I am so excited that you mentioned MC Lars in this video. I was wondering if it would happen. A classic tune, to be sure!

[@MisterJang0]

In my middle school and high school, I knew Hot Topic as the place where all the kids got their band shirts, studded belts, those baggy pants with the chains hanging off of them, and later: skinny jeans. I remember Hot Topic before the 2007 redesign, I was a teenager but I legit used to think the store was scary. I'd only go in there because my sister would drag me in and then I wanted to leave right away because I thought they played their music way too loud. Nowadays, as an adult, I go to Hot Topic quite a lot and I dislike how sanitized it's become. I regret my former teenage self that couldn't handle the way it used to be. Also, LOL at the 2010 Alice in Wonderland film. I went and saw that in theaters (again because my sister wanted to go) and I called that movie "Alice in HotTopicland" because of how style-over-substance it was, but I didn't know until now that that film was a major tie-in with Hot Topic.

[@Obanesharvest]

As a 30-year-old mom I love watching these videos that go over my childhood and teen years haha. It really brings me back, I don't think about it as much anymore so it's really nice to have little time capsules like these videos.

[@ImAnEmergency]

I never thought I’d see Attack Attack in a Dream Jelly video!

[@Cervidae]

i know i've commented it before, but the use of ts2 sound effects is my favorite thing ever in all of your videos

[@eggfroggowo]

Hot Topic is my favorite store ever, I LOVE the button/pins and earrings they have! I have some knife earrings I bought for my 18th birthday :3

[@Poyostar]

Never been to Hot Topic since it doesn't exist in my area, but this is still a pretty solid look back at the storefront's history and legacy. Great video!

[@BFRIZZLE909]

Montclair plaza hot topic is still open and busy!! Cool that it was the first.

[@GarrettLoganGriffin]

Great video. I totally get that they have to change with the times. At the end of the day they’re a business. Their initial change to an alternative store is really no different to their more welcoming makeover in more recent times. I haven’t been inside a Hot Topic in well over ten years. Honestly, I can’t remember the last time I went. I’m 36, now. Born in ‘88. So, I can only ever remember the gothic gates of hell, dark walls, dark floor, goth employees, etc. The good ol’ days. I can remember a time walking through the mall with my family and seeing Hot Topic and never thinking that would be a store for me. Then I discovered heavy music, started playing instruments, and eventually it’s the only store in the mall that catered to my soul. The majority of what they carried was not for me. I really only went for the band shirts and Tripp pants. However, they did have a vinyl section well before vinyl started to make a real comeback, which was super cool. They always had merch designs that you couldn’t find anywhere but Hot Topic. I’m sure they had deals with record companies, artists, etc. The online shopping market was in its infancy in my Hot Topic heyday. This was really the only place, short of maybe the few shirts Spencer’s carried, that you could get band shirts. Other than going to concerts. I’m sure there were other venues I just wasn’t aware of. They always had great quality merch, and they STILL do. I just received 5 Slipknot shirts and a hoodie that you can only get at Hot Topic. They all fit great and they’re still great quality. At this point I’ve been a customer for 25 years. I’ll always remember the little metal haven it was for me from 1999-2010.

[@astridmyst]

I personally don't get why anyone would be upset about the change in Hot Topic. There's still the exact same band shirts wall, there's always been anime, and there will always be the piercings/other accessories part. It is rather funny though to have a Kpop music video play and then Korn after though XD It's just like my Spotify

[@rebeccagamble8837]

Hate that KZbin doesn't give me notifications for your videos anymore even though the bell has been turned on since your channel took off. Loved this video, even though I'm from the UK and I've never been to a Hot Topic in my life. The DS Sims 2 music was the cherry on top for me, as that is honestly one of my comfort games oddly! 😂

[@jessijaneway6660]

I think what people miss without realizing it, is the overall popularity of the subcultures that existed in the past. Growing up in the 90s was peak time for alternative rock but now it 2024 when I turn on the radio its all old hits, pop, or rap. There's not really any rock bands in the mainstream attention right now at all. I'm a teacher and alt kids just dont exist like they used to back in the days of mall rats/mall goths. It honestly is kinda sad...

[@2stayweird]

In the late 90s, Hot Topic was so scary that parents didn't wanna go in there. 😂 The one near me was also like Spencer's in that it had "adult toys" and "dungeon accessories" on the back wall.

[@daisyviluck7932]

**reads this post** **remembers me and my best friend trying to maneuver our strollers through the narrow Hot Topic aisles** 🤷🏻‍♀️

[@caseyisdrowning9040]

I have a special interest in early 2000s culture and your Channel is a GOD SEND ‼️‼️‼️🙏🙏 thank u sm

[@LynnHermione]

When I traveled to usa in my 20s one of my favorite things was being able to go into a hot topic. I bought a Danny Phantom pin!