Hot Topic should be renamed Hot Mess. 10 plus years ago it was a haven that I clearly remember admiring. Finally one stop shopping for rock and roll wear. No longer did I have to order a Clash t-shirt on line and wait, I just had to go to the mall.
My first visit was fun. As an old school punk I loved the bricked walls and dark light, seeing buttons and T's from bands I loved was emotion overload. I noticed they kept a binder of local bands and their show dates. I thought to myself, finally alt music for mass people. But then something awful happpend, it started to morph. It started taking a harder edge as Tripp pants with giant chains moved in and shoved that old school look aside. Oh well still rockin'. Then in came the cartoon figures… Hello Kitty? Really? Ok, we can give you a nod for pop culture..then..
Justin Beiber? Hold up. How did it go from The Clash to Beib in 15 years? Cash. They needed money and the you give the people what they want. Oh you can still go in and buy a $50. pair of zebra Tripps but you can also get a Taylor Swift t-shirt. You can get a barbell for your tongue piercing and you can get clip in blue hair. As with all things Hot Topic came to an end. A fatality of the mighty dollar. So what's next?
Underwear.
The shop is now branching out into your bra. Rock and Roll tits and ass have never been more fashionable. Ripping off Joan Jett with the shop name 'Blackheart", its just aimed at doom. We all know rock girls wear corsets and garters when they get tattooed.. actually they dont. They wear Gilly Hicks thongs and Pink bras and if youre lucky you can see them if they move in just the right way. Todays girls are NOT into lingerie at all. Wich is why I find this 18-30 demographic so interesting. The 'glam' side of undies is gone, unless of course it's special occasion garb.
This shop will be selling days off the week cottons in no time, or be in such select markets that you'll never even see one. Surrender, nothing is hot about this but the inventory can be consolidated into Hot Topics when they start closing doors.