I stepped foot in Hot Topic for the first time in over a decade. Here's what it's like inside the famed punk chain in 2023.

Gabbi ShawJan 13, 2024, 22:06 IST

Hot Topic in the Queens Center Mall.Gabbi Shaw/Insider

I haven't set foot in Hot Topic — a mall mainstay — in at least a decade.
Back then, I was a little intimidated by Hot Topic's loud music and goth aesthetic.

I was born smack in the middle of the '90s, which means I experienced the tail end of mall culture — when I was in middle school, hanging out at the mall was still one of the best ways to spend an afternoon with your friends.

We used to giggle at the more mature offerings at a place like Spencer's Gifts, but there was one store that 12-year-old me and my friends used to avoid with wide eyes: Hot Topic.

Hot Topic, which was founded in a garage in the late '80s before becoming a chain with over 600 stores, used to be known for its loud punk music and an overwhelming amount of band T-shirts, studded belts, platform boots, and face jewelry — all things that freaked me out as a pre-teen.

Now 28, I decided to check out what's going on in Hot Topic in 2023. I was surprised to find T-shirts, sweatshirts, stuffed animals, and more from some of my favorite franchises that are decidedly not punk, like "Twilight."

Here's what it was like to pay a visit to Hot Topic in 2023.

Hot Topic is a retail chain that was founded in California in 1989.

Shoppers browse through a Hot Topic retail store on February 5, 2002.Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Its merchandise has always had a counterculture bent. When I was growing up in the early 2000s, most of what I remember seeing from the outside was dedicated to metal, punk, emo, and scene music and fashion.

A Hot Topic retail store in 2002.Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Its merchandise has always had a counterculture bent. When I was growing up in the early 2000s, most of what I remember seeing from the outside was dedicated to metal, punk, emo, and scene music and fashion.

Hot Topic also sold a type of silicone bracelet linked to an urban legend. Rumor had it that the colors represented different sex acts, leading to outcry among parents and schools.

Jelly bracelets.LMPark Photos/Shutterstock

Hot Topic also sold a type of silicone bracelet linked to an urban legend. Rumor had it that the colors represented different sex acts, leading to outcry among parents and schools.

When I was 9, the bracelets were even referenced on a 2004 episode of "Degrassi: The Next Generation," adding to my hometown's perception of Hot Topic as a controversial spot.

"Degrassi: The Next Generation."CTV

When I was 9, the bracelets were even referenced on a 2004 episode of "Degrassi: The Next Generation," adding to my hometown's perception of Hot Topic as a controversial spot.

All this led to me staying away from Hot Topic in my local mall, even though I was a self-proclaimed "emo kid" who enjoyed My Chemical Romance and Fall Out Boy just as much as the next angsty teenager.

Shoppers browse through a Hot Topic retail store on February 5, 2002.Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

All this led to me staying away from Hot Topic in my local mall, even though I was a self-proclaimed "emo kid" who enjoyed My Chemical Romance and Fall Out Boy just as much as the next angsty teenager.

I decided to see what Hot Topic is like today, so I visited one of two locations in New York City.

Hot Topic in the Queens Center Mall.Gabbi Shaw/Insider

Almost immediately, I was taken aback at how much licensed merchandise was being sold. This table in the front was filled with Nintendo and Sega products.

Nintendo and Sega merch.Gabbi Shaw/Insider

When I came across a bin filled with Squishmallows, the latest stuffed-animal craze, I remembered how I used to be afraid of entering Hot Topic back in the day.

A bin of Squishmallows.Gabbi Shaw/Insider

According to the company's website, Hot Topic was once known as a haven for various counterculture movements. I can think of nothing less countercultural than the "Harry Potter" franchise.

"Harry Potter" pajamas.Gabbi Shaw/Insider

According to the company's website, Hot Topic was once known as a haven for various counterculture movements. I can think of nothing less countercultural than the "Harry Potter" franchise.

A "Better Call Saul" sweatshirt on the highest rack caught my eye, as I didn't think that an AMC legal thriller was typical Hot Topic fare, either.

A "Better Call Saul" sweatshirt.Gabbi Shaw/Insider

But according to Hot Topic's website, it caters to every pop-culture niche.

Merch from "The Lost Boys" and "Halloween."Gabbi Shaw/Insider

So I shouldn't have been surprised that merchandise from movies like "Barbie" is also now available.

"Barbie" blankets.Gabbi Shaw/Insider

There was a giant wall of Funko Pops, which are small plastic figurines of pop-culture figures. Ben Wyatt from "Parks and Recreation" said it best: Nerd culture is the mainstream now.

A wall of Funko Pops.Gabbi Shaw/Insider

There was a giant wall of Funko Pops, which are small plastic figurines of pop-culture figures. Ben Wyatt from "Parks and Recreation" said it best: Nerd culture is the mainstream now.

One of the constants across Hot Topic locations is the wall of graphic tees known as the Rock Wall, which was established in 1990.

The Rock Wall.Gabbi Shaw/Insider

Another mainstay is the brand's love for "The Nightmare Before Christmas," which has been on its shelves for decades.

A display featuring shirts, plushies, and more from "The Nightmare Before Christmas."Gabbi Shaw/Insider

Besides T-shirts and sweatshirts, Hot Topic also offered jewelry, which was buy one, get one 50% off.

A selection of jewelry at Hot Topic.Gabbi Shaw/Insider

There were also lots of press-on nails with nods to characters, such as Hello Kitty.

The press-on nails at Hot Topic.Gabbi Shaw/Insider

But my personal favorite: I learned "Hot Topic" is still selling "Twilight" items, 15 years after the first movie was released.

A pair of "Twilight" pajamas.Gabbi Shaw/Insider

Shopping at Hot Topic reminded me of how Comic Con, which started as a convention for comic books, sci-fi, and all things "nerdy," is now one of the biggest events in Hollywood, thanks to the success of franchises like the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

New York City Comic Con in 2021.Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for ReedPop

Shopping at Hot Topic reminded me of how Comic Con, which started as a convention for comic books, sci-fi, and all things "nerdy," is now one of the biggest events in Hollywood, thanks to the success of franchises like the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Similarly, Hot Topic started as a store for people who were into "cult" movies, TV shows, and bands. Now, it's selling licensed products from hugely recognizable media because cult things are mainstream now.

Hot Topic in 2023.Gabbi Shaw/Insider

Similarly, Hot Topic started as a store for people who were into "cult" movies, TV shows, and bands. Now, it's selling licensed products from hugely recognizable media because cult things are mainstream now.

"With how much content is available and accessible today, everybody is a one-of-a-kind fan with their own eclectic mix of fandoms," Steve Vranes, Hot Topic's CEO, told Insider in 2019. By catering to as many interests as possible, Hot Topic has been able to stay afloat amidst the "retail apocalypse."

A Hello Kitty display in Hot Topic.Gabbi Shaw/Insider

"With how much content is available and accessible today, everybody is a one-of-a-kind fan with their own eclectic mix of fandoms," Steve Vranes, Hot Topic's CEO, told Insider in 2019. By catering to as many interests as possible, Hot Topic has been able to stay afloat amidst the "retail apocalypse."

My biggest takeaway from my visit is that I shouldn't be nervous to shop at Hot Topic anymore. Now, it has something for everyone.

A table filled with "Five Nights at Freddy's"-themed clothes.Gabbi Shaw/Insider

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I stepped foot in Hot Topic for the first time in over a decade. Here's what it's like inside the famed punk chain in 2023.

Hot Topic is a retail chain that was founded in California in 1989.

Its merchandise has always had a counterculture bent. When I was growing up in the early 2000s, most of what I remember seeing from the outside was dedicated to metal, punk, emo, and scene music and fashion.

Hot Topic also sold a type of silicone bracelet linked to an urban legend. Rumor had it that the colors represented different sex acts, leading to outcry among parents and schools.

When I was 9, the bracelets were even referenced on a 2004 episode of "Degrassi: The Next Generation," adding to my hometown's perception of Hot Topic as a controversial spot.

All this led to me staying away from Hot Topic in my local mall, even though I was a self-proclaimed "emo kid" who enjoyed My Chemical Romance and Fall Out Boy just as much as the next angsty teenager.

I decided to see what Hot Topic is like today, so I visited one of two locations in New York City.

Almost immediately, I was taken aback at how much licensed merchandise was being sold. This table in the front was filled with Nintendo and Sega products.

When I came across a bin filled with Squishmallows, the latest stuffed-animal craze, I remembered how I used to be afraid of entering Hot Topic back in the day.

According to the company's website, Hot Topic was once known as a haven for various counterculture movements. I can think of nothing less countercultural than the "Harry Potter" franchise.

A "Better Call Saul" sweatshirt on the highest rack caught my eye, as I didn't think that an AMC legal thriller was typical Hot Topic fare, either.

But according to Hot Topic's website, it caters to every pop-culture niche.

So I shouldn't have been surprised that merchandise from movies like "Barbie" is also now available.

There was a giant wall of Funko Pops, which are small plastic figurines of pop-culture figures. Ben Wyatt from "Parks and Recreation" said it best: Nerd culture is the mainstream now.

One of the constants across Hot Topic locations is the wall of graphic tees known as the Rock Wall, which was established in 1990.

Another mainstay is the brand's love for "The Nightmare Before Christmas," which has been on its shelves for decades.

Besides T-shirts and sweatshirts, Hot Topic also offered jewelry, which was buy one, get one 50% off.

There were also lots of press-on nails with nods to characters, such as Hello Kitty.

But my personal favorite: I learned "Hot Topic" is still selling "Twilight" items, 15 years after the first movie was released.

Shopping at Hot Topic reminded me of how Comic Con, which started as a convention for comic books, sci-fi, and all things "nerdy," is now one of the biggest events in Hollywood, thanks to the success of franchises like the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Similarly, Hot Topic started as a store for people who were into "cult" movies, TV shows, and bands. Now, it's selling licensed products from hugely recognizable media because cult things are mainstream now.

My biggest takeaway from my visit is that I shouldn't be nervous to shop at Hot Topic anymore. Now, it has something for everyone.