We Checked In on Hot Topic. It Has Gone Mainstream. | The Strategist

You don’t have to wear all black, … at Hot Topic anymore. Back in the ’90s and 2000s, the brand was synonymous with subculture, the go-to place for kids who were into the punk, goth, and alternative scenes to buy studded-leather belts and nü metal band shirts. In the last decade, however, the store has undergone a serious vibe shift, catering much more to mainstream tastes with a plethora of music and pop-culture merch. To get some boots-on-the-ground intel on what’s trending with the …