Hot Topic is a retail chain that focuses on related apparel, accessories and novelties. Today Hot Topic is a mall and web based industry, catering to the music and pop culture fan base. They carry a variety of items, including but not limited to: band and media t-shirts, skinny jeans, Gothic makeup, scene and punk accessories and body jewelery. Many of their products are licensed theme products, such as Emily the Strange, The Twilight Saga, Harry Potter, Disney and many more pop culture related items. Hot Topic tends to carry popular, current and trendy media items from popular bands, movies, comics, cartoons and novels.

The store started when Orv Madden opened a single location in 1988. The company went public in 1996. Orv remained the company's CEO until 2000. Currently, Elizabeth McLaughlin, aka Besty is the chief executive officer. She stated in an biography that Hot Topic gets many of their ideas from the customers. These ideas come from feedback on the website and comment cards located in the store.http://www.notablebiographies.com/news/Li-Ou/McLaughlin-Betsy.html Hot Topic has 679 stores within the United States and Puerto Rico, as well as a web based business.http://investorrelations.hottopic.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=120007&p=irol-homeprofile

Hot Topic Inc. also runs the Torrid website and stores. The website and stores carry a large variety of clothing and accessories modeled around plus size woman needs. The company developed the idea from feedback received by Hot Topic customers for the need of trendy clothing for the bigger girl. They responded and opened six stores in 2001.http://community.torrid.com/torrid/customer_service/about_us.aspThere are currently 156 stores operating and a retail based website.

ShockHound is also a branch the Hot Top Inc. launched in 2008. It's a social media network that offers music downloads, retailed merchandise and exclusive editorials and videos.http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=120007&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1322465&highlight= One of their missions is to provide a wide range of digital music.