hot topic song . hot topic inc. type private industry retail founded 1988 by orv madden headquarters industry california usa number of locations 642 april 2011 1 key people steve vranes ceo 2016 present betsy mclaughlin ceo 2000 2011 bruce quinell chairman of the board products clothing accessories music revenue us 761 million fy 2009 2 operating income us 32.5 million fy 2009 2 net income us 19.7 million fy 2009 2 total assets us 371 million fy 2009 3 total equity us 258 million fy 2009 3 divisions blackheart lingerie boxlunch subsidiaries torrid llc website www.hottopic.com hot topic typeset as hot topic is an american retail chain specializing in alternative culture related clothing and accessories as well as licensed music . the majority of the stores are located in regional shopping malls . 4 the first hot topic store was opened in 1988 by orv madden who retired as ceo in 2000 and was replaced by betsy mclaughlin who headed the company until 2011 . lisa harper assumed the position of ceo in march 2011 . the company went public and began trading on nasdaq in 1996 . in 2013 hot topic announced its sale to private equity firm sycamore partners for 600 million . 5 contents 1 product assortment and sales 2 history 3 tour sponsorship 4 references 5 external links product assortment and sales edit hot topic at universal citywalk in hollywood california displaying the hot topic logo used during the peak of the company s popularity . approximately 40 % of hot topic s revenue comes from sales of licensed band t shirts . 4 hot topic often negotiates exclusive licensing arrangements with musical artists movie studios and graphic artists . citation needed history edit hot topic launched torrid a concept store that sells clothing for plus size women in 2001 . 6 in 2008 hot topic launched shockhound an online retailer and social networking music site . 7 in march 2011 hot topic made a public statement citing the shutdown of shockhound . the site is no longer live all merchandise was moved to hottopic.com and the company ceased sales of mp3s . 8 in august 2010 hot topic opened two new stores in canada which also marked the chain s first two international outlets . the first store opened on august 11 at square one shopping centre in mississauga ontario and then at scarborough town centre in toronto ontario the following day . 9 the company has since also opened additional ontario locations as well as locations in puerto rico . in 2012 hot topic launched blackheart lingerie a concept store that sells lingerie and clothing for women . 10 on may 26 2015 hot topic announced its intent to acquire geeknet inc. owner of the online retailer thinkgeek for 122 million . however the company received a 140 million counter offer from gamestop which hot topic did not choose to exceed . 11 12 13 14 on october 14 2015 hot topic launched boxlunch a gift and novelty retail store . 15 for every 10 spent a meal is donated to a person in need . 16 the store has been through a number of phases in its history reflective of various alternative culture and pop culture including geek culture trends . in the early 2000s the store was heavily known for marketing nu metal merchandise related to bands such as evanescence and disturbed . during that period the store was also known for its sales of controversial gel bracelets often rumored to be sex bracelets as well as the equally controversial styles of phat pants inspired bondage pants popular among teenagers in the late 1990s and early to mid 2000s . the store later focused on skinny jeans and merchandise related to scene emo and hardcore music and fashion . at present the store s selection is largely focused on licensed video game merchandise and internet memes popular on sites such as tumblr as well as anime and manga and the associated otaku subculture . tour sponsorship edit the company sponsored the 2004 ozzfest concert tour 17 the 2005 through 2007 sounds of the underground tour 18 the 2008 taste of chaos tour 19 and had a stage at and sponsored the 2008 and 2009 rockstar energy drink mayhem festival tours . the company went on to sponsor black veil brides 2014 black mass tour with special guests falling in reverse . 20 references edit hot topic inc. reports 1st quarter financial results a b c hot topic hott annual sec income statement filing via wikinvest a b hot topic hott annual sec balance sheet filing via wikinvest a b hot topic annual report 2007 pdf . hot topic inc. 2008 04 28 . retrieved 2008 12 09 . sycamore partners to buy hot topic for 600 million harris lynn april 6 2005 . living large . salon . retrieved february 26 2014 . http www.universalmusic.com hot topic inc launches shockhound new all in one music site http www.businesswire.com news home 20110328006652 en hot topic announces 2011 including shockhound closure hot topic to open shops in canada . financialpost.com . 2010 06 21 . retrieved 2014 02 26 . misener jessica 2012 11 01 . hot topic launching blackheart lingerie line for the romantic mall goth in you . the huffington post . retrieved 2014 07 16 . geeknet gives hot topic three days to match higher offer . bloomberg . retrieved 30 may 2015 . hot topic to buy retailer geeknet inc. . wall street journal . retrieved 26 may 2015 . geeknet calls new takeover offer superior to hot topic s bid . the wall street journal . retrieved 30 may 2015 . gamestop outbids hot topic for thinkgeek parent company purchase . ars technica . retrieved 2 june 2015 . new boxlunch stores to carry pop vinyls . pop vinyls . 2015 10 14 . boxlunch . boxlunch . ratliff b 2004 07 16 . rock review ozzfest trudges on laden with sponsors and politics . the new york times . retrieved 2008 12 09 . official website . sounds of the underground . retrieved 2008 12 09 . peters m 2007 12 20 . avenged sevenfold atreyu set for taste of chaos . billboard . 1 archived february 12 2008 at the wayback machine . external links edit wikimedia commons has media related to hot topic . 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