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Hot Topic is an chain store aimed at teenagers and young adults. It
has over 690 chain stores across the United States and Puerto Rico,
the majority of which are located in shopping malls. The first Hot
Topic store was opened in 1988 by Orv Madden. The chain specializes
in pop-culture-related fashion and merchandise including; clothing,
books, comics, jewelry, CDs, records, posters and other
paraphernalia. It also backs major concert festivals like Ozzfest
and recently, Sounds Of The Underground. Products from Tripp NYC,
Lip Service, Heartcore Clothing and Funhouse are also stocked.
In the past, major bands such as Korn and Good Charlotte have
allowed Hot Topic to release their concert wear to the general
public before they themselves appear on television or at concerts
wearing them. Recently Hot Topic has held in-store "listening
parties" for bands such as Marilyn Manson, Avenged Sevenfold,
Underoath, My Chemical Romance, Paramore and HIM, so fans could hear
their new albums before they were released. Hot Topic has also been
a promoter of Jhonen Vasquez and his various projects, including
Invader Zim, Johnny the Homicidal Maniac and "Squee".
Hot Topic is also known for having an extensive range of Tim Burton
film products such as The Nightmare Before Christmas memorabilia.
Hot Topic owns and operates a chain of similarly-themed plus-size
women's clothing stores, Torrid, which began operations in 2001. The
company produces its own line of clothing, Morbid Threads, whose
products may be found in both chains' stores. Hot Topic was named
number 53 on Fortune 100's Top Companies to Work For list in 2006.
As of April 2008, Hot Topic has started carrying TWLOHA shirts,
which makes it the first clothing store to carry TWLOHA merchandise.
Hot Topic's major rivals in its niche include Spencer's Gifts and
Manic Panic
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