![[The Joy of Hot Topic-20241222132823328.png]] I was at the mall recently, grabbing some last-minute wedding stuff and a cheesecake after a horrible dentist appointment, when I realized something strange. I've been going to this mall for as long as I've been alive, more or less, and since I've been sentient there's always been a Hot Topic at this mall. Its existence isn't what was weird to me. No. It was the fact that the Hot Topic had *expanded*. The Hot Topic in my local mall is now twice as big and twice as deep. When I stepped in it legitimately felt *strange* to not feel claustrophobic, as one usually does walking into one of these places. That all in and of itself was weird, but what was weirder to me still was: *how* is a store in a mall expanding, let alone a Hot Topic of all things? ![[The Joy of Hot Topic-20241222140400409.png]] Malls aren't exactly what they used to be in America. As online shopping has picked up, the malls in my area have been dying a long, drawn-out, slow death. But Hot Topic continues to remain popular in spite of it all. I think the reason is actually pretty simple. --- When I was 10, videogames had completely become my identity. I mean, they kind of still are, now, but I am an individual person at 30, with varied interests and hobbies and feelings. But 10 year old me cared about **Zelda**, **Dragon Warrior Monsters**, **Final Fantasy IX**, and that's *it*. When my mom took me shopping for clothes in 5th grade and I walked into the same Hot Topic I walked into a few days ago, I saw a **Zelda** t-shirt. An honest to God **Zelda T-shirt**!!! It's 2004 - nerd shit isn't ubiquitous yet, and Fangamer was still just a forum for Toby Fox to cook up the **Earthbound** hacks that would eventually lead to **Undertale**. This was a miracle. I asked for it immediately, and my mom grabbed it, simply because she was happy to not see me complain about shopping for clothes, for once. I, the biggest **Zelda** fan I knew - because I was the only person I knew that cared about videogames - now had a **Zelda** t-shirt. It was, frankly, a hideous shirt. I wish I could find a picture of it. It was just some **Zelda II** concept art slapped on. But it didn't matter, because, again: **Zelda** shirt. So you know I had that bad boy on the absolute *first* day of school. And my 5th Grade English teacher saw it, and said "wow, cool shirt!" ![[The Joy of Hot Topic-20241222140519582.png]] Can you imagine that, reader? To this day I remember that moment with utmost clarity. I remember which side of the hallway I was standing in, what book I had in my hand, where I was going and the teacher that complimented me. It is a core part of me, one of the first times someone acknowledged me for the things I enjoyed. I was seen for who I was in that moment, and that's pretty cool. --- I know Hot Topic was mostly known for its Mall Goth aesthetic when I was growing up, but I never noticed any of that when I walked in - I was just happy to see nerd stuff that I could wear, so that other nerds knew what I was (as if it wasn't already easy to tell by the giant **Redwall** hardcover I carried around, inhaler, or general lack of social skills). ![[The Joy of Hot Topic-20241222140205469.png]] That aesthetic seems to have taken over the whole store. Going in a few days ago, the store was separated by Fandom, more or less - **Hello Kitty** in one section, **Jujutsu Kaisen** in another. The back of the store still had the studs, the big black pants, and band t-shirts, but it seems to have billed itself as a "Fandom Store" in general. And I think that explains why Hot Topic is still poppin'. For as long as teenagers continue to exist, they will want to rep their fandoms. Because when you're a teen, everything is extremely scary, and media is a safe outlet. The more you deviate from the "norm" - in race, body shape, sexual orientation and on - the more true that becomes. Like I said before: wearing your fandom is like a shining a beacon to other kids who like the same thing you do! It's an indication, however small it may be, that you could be friends. When you're 10 and writing fanfiction about Terry from **DWM**, getting bullied is basically a pre-req, so a good friend can be the difference between life and death. Literally! I know we live in a capitalistic hellscape, and I don't think Hot Topic has the interests of anyone or anything but its shareholders and its quarterly profits. But I don't think the kid I saw literally *beaming* about the **My Hero Academia** hoodie their mom bought them cares about that. Especially given that they pulled it out of the bag and wore it out of the store. There is a joy to Hot Topic that I don't see wearing out any time soon, and I think that's pretty cool.