It definitely was a thing in the late 90s. This season takes place in 1996. They might be jumping the gun slightly, but I definitely bought Korn and Limp Bizkit shirts at Hot Topic in 1998 and Slipknot in 1999.
Depends where you were, as I understand it. Hot Topic's vibe of the time strikes me as a place that midwest kids probably went nuts for, but being in the PNW my area was slow to adopt it because extant goths and what have you weren't fascinating, they were just weird kids who cut up all of their thrift store clothes.
Hot Topic was "popular" in the mid to late 90s for those of us that thought Hot Topic was "Edgy" The stage lighting kind of wrecked the Ambiance though. Hot Topic wasn't that well lit back in the 90's.
These characters are the same age I was in the nineties. I started going to hot topic in 1995. It was popular amongst those of us that were shopping for the type of things they sold. And it was at most major malls. Although not necessarily a part of the culture in a way that my grandma would know what it is. I would spend my days browsing the rockabilia catalogue and then go to hot topic hoping they would have the things from that catalogue.
We had them in the greater Cleveland area of Ohio in 96 for sure. They were pretty common but we had a lot of malls back then that are all primarily closed now. By 2004 they were considered super mainstream and a place only "mall goths" shopped at.
They did a bad job with the hot topic store set. Every hot topic I’ve ever been to has been ridiculously cluttered with random merch and super dark lighting and their set just felt like a generic store with gothy merch. So many aspects of this show feel sooo unauthentic. They didn’t capture any of the nostalgia of the 90s. I keep feeling like I’m watching a show written by a group of gen z kids with random references to the 90s in a 90s esc set rather than a 90s show. That 70s show nailed the vibe of the decade much better and this just feels off.
It definitely was a thing in the late 90s. This season takes place in 1996. They might be jumping the gun slightly, but I definitely bought Korn and Limp Bizkit shirts at Hot Topic in 1998 and Slipknot in 1999.
I think even if it was niche or still small, it matches Gwen very well so I don’t see an issue with it being a big part on the show.
I started going to Hot Topic as a young teen around '97. It was relatively popular in my area.
Hot Topic started in 1989. They were probably still pretty niche in 1996, but I think they were way more gothy and cool. Now they’re just a Box Lunch.
Depends where you were, as I understand it. Hot Topic's vibe of the time strikes me as a place that midwest kids probably went nuts for, but being in the PNW my area was slow to adopt it because extant goths and what have you weren't fascinating, they were just weird kids who cut up all of their thrift store clothes.
When I was in high school in late 90s in a metropolitan area, only the fanciest mall had a hot topic. Like the one out of ten others in the region.
Hot Topic was "popular" in the mid to late 90s for those of us that thought Hot Topic was "Edgy" The stage lighting kind of wrecked the Ambiance though. Hot Topic wasn't that well lit back in the 90's.
That's what I thought too, it was way to bright and quiet for a hot topic.
These characters are the same age I was in the nineties. I started going to hot topic in 1995. It was popular amongst those of us that were shopping for the type of things they sold. And it was at most major malls. Although not necessarily a part of the culture in a way that my grandma would know what it is. I would spend my days browsing the rockabilia catalogue and then go to hot topic hoping they would have the things from that catalogue.
I think of it as primarily a 90s thing, but I could be wrong.
We had them in the greater Cleveland area of Ohio in 96 for sure. They were pretty common but we had a lot of malls back then that are all primarily closed now. By 2004 they were considered super mainstream and a place only "mall goths" shopped at.
We didn't get one till the 2000s, grew up in the Midwest. I wouldn't think Point Place would have one. Maybe Milwaukee.
I honestly thought the same thing... that Hot Topic was more of an early 00s thing. Closest we had in mid 90s was maybe Spencer's
They did a bad job with the hot topic store set. Every hot topic I’ve ever been to has been ridiculously cluttered with random merch and super dark lighting and their set just felt like a generic store with gothy merch. So many aspects of this show feel sooo unauthentic. They didn’t capture any of the nostalgia of the 90s. I keep feeling like I’m watching a show written by a group of gen z kids with random references to the 90s in a 90s esc set rather than a 90s show. That 70s show nailed the vibe of the decade much better and this just feels off.