Best of 2000: Best Alternative Shop

Hot Topic
Mission Valley Center,
1640 Camino del Rio North,
Mission Valley
(619) 542-8450
Other locations in
National City,
El Cajon, Carlsbad, Escondido
www.hottopic.com

This store brings rave, goth, punk, and retro attire together like a museum of the underground. The manager of this Mission Valley Center store, Jammie Daniels, says, "Most people are shopping to prepare to go somewhere." That means martini shirts to complete the Las Vegas experience and glow-sticks and pink fur to float under mixed rave tunes. About a fifth of the store is dedicated to insanely cheap shirts, gifts, and soon-to-be popular, or once-popular, or maybe-never-popular stuff. While you're digging around in the displays, pierced and tattooed employees display on their bodies what they are selling and tell you where the good deals are. "Would you wanna buy body jewelry from someone in a suit and tie?" is how Daniels explained the company's policy of employing experts in alternative culture. These employees are always smiling and never stuck up about their wildly trendy wear. The shop markets local music and encourages employees to introduce products from the local scene.