Even though the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 has — as of Tuesday morning — yet to be officially recalled in the U.S., we now have a slightly better idea of the underlying flaw in the device’s battery that has resulted in dozens of incidents of Note 7s overheating or exploding. [More]
hot topic
GameStop, Not Hot Topic, To Acquire ThinkGeek For $140 Million
By 6.2.15
Remember the long, long-ago of, er, just last week when we thought Hot Topic was planning to buy the parent company of online specialty retailer ThinkGeek? Well, now they’re not. A mysterious new suitor showed up just a few days later, and it appears they have the better bid. And so, Geeknet today announced that their brief fling with Hot Topic is over, and they will be joining up with GameStop instead. [More]
ThinkGeek Parent Geeknet Giving Hot Topic Three Days To Match Rival Suitor’s Offer
By 5.29.15
The love triangle between the parent company of online retailer ThinkGeek and its two suitors continues to heat up, with Geeknet now telling original suitor Hot Topic it has until Monday to match or exceed the higher bid from a new mystery rival. Because like so many real life dating situations, it all comes down to an ultimatum. [More]
ThinkGeek’s Parent Company Says A New Suitor Has Followed Hot Topic Into The Bidding Ring
By 5.27.15
What’s a little retail merger romance without a love triangle thrown in for good measure? After the news yesterday Hot Topic was buying online retailer ThinkGeek’s parent company GeekNet in a deal worth $122 million, the purveyor of sci-fi curiosities and comic book inspirations says another suitor has thrown in a bid to buy it. [More]
Hot Topic Buying Parent Company Of Online Retailer ThinkGeek For $122M
By 5.26.15
Mall staple Hot Topic is taking another chain under its umbrella for a $122 million price tag, announcing that it’s acquiring Geeknet, Inc., parent company of online retailers ThinkGeek and ThinkGeek Solutions, for $122 million. Commemorative T-shirts with cheeky sayings for everyone! [More]
Joan Jett Sues Hot Topic Over “Blackheart” Trademark
By 6.14.13
I don’t shop at Hot Topic because I’m not a teenage girl, but I’ve heard that the stores exist. But I am old enough to remember Joan Jett and the Blackhearts at the height of their fame in the early ’80s. But now two generations are colliding in a mess of tee shirts, push-up bras, and nail polish as the rock star’s record label sues the retailer over the Blackheart brand. [More]
This Hot Topic Brain Necklace Looks Awfully Familiar
By 8.2.12
On her Etsy profile, Sarah writes that she makes sculpted jewelry in her Toronto apartment. Her pieces are cute, like cookie-shaped rings, and creepy-cute, like cufflinks shaped like anatomical hearts. But one of her signature pieces is a set of heart-shaped “best friends” necklaces with the texture of green brains. It’s creepily adorable, and a best-seller. Apparently national chain Hot Topic agrees, since they happen to be selling a very similar design. [More]
Hot Topic Steals Adorable Designs From Webcomic
By 2.27.10
Update: Meghan and Hot Topic have settled this situation. Fans of the adorable webcomic Kawaii Not were surprised to discover buttons made from comic panels for sale at Hot Topic. The problem? The artist sort of didn’t license the designs to Hot Topic, and they are copyrighted. Artist Meghan Murphy does sell her own buttons…and these aren’t those. [More]
Sorry We Missed The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Snuggie
By 1.21.10
We work hard to bring our readers all Snuggie-related news, and were remiss in not reporting on an exciting product from Hot Topic before it finally disappeared from the market. Shortly before the holidays, Hot Topic introduced the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Snuggie Funky Cozy. They sold out. For obvious reasons. [More]
Hot Topic Steals Yet Another Design And Sells It As Its Own
By 12.31.08
Once again, Hot Topic is selling someone else’s art as original work. The mallternative retail chain purchased the supposedly original design from Newbreed Girl, which has its own history of ripping off designs.
Hot Topic Likes Your Art So Much… They're Selling It!
By 9.30.08
I’m glad I’m bad at everything so I never have to worry about anyone plagiarizing my work. Sadly, this is not the case for Nina Matsumoto. Whoever is in charge of “designing” Halloween merchandise for Hot Topic is apparently a big fan of Nina’s.
Halo 3 Limited Edition Xbox 360 For $199.99
By 9.8.08
Hot Topic seems to be selling Halo 3 Limited Edition Xbox 360 for $199.99, a price cut of $200. An insider tells us that select Hot Topic stores will have them on sale starting tomorrow, but I also spotted them on HotTopic.com. One of the guys at Kotaku says he bought one in-store this morning. I had no idea that Hot Topic even had video game systems, I guess they really do have the complete catalog to fill out your cool and alternative lifestyle.
