Another store slated to close at Sunrise Mall

By Sara Beth Williams–
Another national retailer just announced it plans to close its Sunrise Mall location by the end of March.

Hot Topic, which survived the closures of other mainstay retailers at the Sunrise Mall in 2023, is now gearing up to close its doors in the next few weeks.

Management at Hot Topic confirmed with The Sentinel Saturday that the store will be closing on March 26 and that the closure was a corporate decision. Staff were not able to comment on whether employees would be relocated to other Hot Topic stores. A QR code at the front entrance allows customers to search for the nearest Hot Topic location.

Last year, Hot Topic relocated from across from T-Mobile to another storefront that was closer to Macy’s Men’s, where most of the two dozen open businesses within the mall still operate.

In January 2024, both Taco Bell and Pretzelmaker closed up shop, followed soon after by Najia Cuisine and clothing retailer Tilly. The Sentinel previously reported that Zumiez closed in December of 2023. In May 2024, another small watch and jewelry repair shop left the mall and relocated to a storefront at the Marketplace at Birdcage across the street.

Pro Image Sports and Lin Den Massage have storefronts that have appeared vacant on multiple occasions during Sentinel staff visits to the Sunrise Mall in late 2024.

In November, an espresso bar, which had been the last eatery to operate in the mall’s food court, closed unexpectedly following the owner’s sudden departure due to a medical emergency. The Sentinel was not able to confirm whether the kiosk would permanently close or reopen at a later date.

Hot Topic’s closure announcement comes on the heels of several other major retailers also announcing closures, including Macy’s, Party City and fabric retail giant Joann. Both Macy’s and Party City are also expected to close sometime in March, according to store management.

Hot Topic specializes in graphic tees, band shirts, anime, and other pop-culture-approved merchandise, including clothes, goods, gifts, home décor and more. The company operates over 600 stores throughout the United States and Canada.