All the Stores You Loved in the '90s That No Longer Exist
Crying, weeping, sobbing still over half of these.
Remember ye olden days, before internet shopping was a thing and you had to buy your Steve Madden sandals at the mall? It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the most '90s of times. I can't lie, I'd just about do anything to go back because nothing beats the pure joy of hanging out in the mall with your friends. But alas!
Tragically, many of the era's most popular and iconic stores are out of business now, so we're rounding them up in one list in the name of nostalgia. And yes, fine, some of these have very (very) few stores still standing—but certainly not enough, and it's still sad, okay?
Before clicking through, please be forewarned: Reading this list might inspire you to rifle through depths of your closet you never knew existed, unearth that grommet belt you bought from Hot Topic (which is mercifully still around), change into an ill-fitting sweater set from The Limited (a cardigan with a matching tank top, for the blissfully uninitiated), and grab a pair of Adidas Superstars with a doodled-upon shell top. Sorry in advance, yet also, you're very welcome.
Blockbuster
The fact that we lived through a time when you had to go to a physical store in order to watch a movie shakes me to my very core. There is actually *one* remaining store on planet Earth. It’s in Bend, Oregon, but it’s basically a tourist attraction at this point.
Sports Authority
Ah, the place where you bought your very expensive soccer cleats that you wore approximately three times before dramatically quitting the team.
Wicks 'N' Sticks
Honestly, I just feel lucky to have lived through an era where a candle store named Wicks 'N' Sticks was an actual thing and not the setting of an SNL skit.
The Art of Shaving
Apparently, there are still a few of these ol' chestnuts left, but for the most part, people appear to have moved on from...getting shaved in a mall.
RadioShack
RadioShack used to be in every neighborhood in America and it was the place to get those clear plastic landline phones. Then it filed for bankruptcy in 2017 and things (read: the few remaining stores) have never been the same.
Sam Goody
Sam Goody was insanely successful...until it wasn't. But during the store's heyday, it was responsible for a whopping 7% of all U.S. record sales.
The Bon-Ton
Have a vague memory of being dragged here by my mother, but pretty sure I've managed to repress it.
Steve & Barry's
Like, where else were we supposed to get babydoll tees, cheap college hoodies, and attend B-list celebrity meet and greets?
Wet Seal
Wet Seal clientele included everything from kids in middle America who wanted to dress like they were from a '90s teen TV show set in Southern California to college girls looking for a quick 'fit for that Saturday night function. The range!
Zany Brainy
This store closing was a HUGE blow to nerdy little brothers everywhere.
Filene's
Not to be confused with Eileen Fisher, where your mom bought her linen pants. And who still sells beauty products at the local TJ Maxx!
Sleepy's
Otherwise known as the place where you'd jump on mattresses while staff glared at you. (FYI, Sleepy's was acquired by Mattress Firm in 2015.)
Discovery Channel Store
This girl's face = how I feel about Discovery Channel Store closing.
CompUSA
Where one went to buy not just a laptop...but also INTERNET.
Rave
If the name isn't clear enough, this is where Cool Kids shopped when Hot Topic was too crowded.
B. Dalton
Aww, B. Dalton was so fun to browse around in! But with the rise of internet shopping, mall bookstores just didn't stand a chance. Which brings us to...
Waldenbooks
...another absolute favorite of our collective mall-trolling childhoods that simply couldn't survive Amazon. We'll miss you, bud. Speaking of...
Borders
Hands up if you and your friends just, like, hung around at Borders doing nothing when you were teenagers? Same. Sadly, now your hangout spot is gone forever because of bankruptcy—probably thanks to a company I won't bother @ing again (it rhymes with shmamazon).
Thriftys
Again, I honestly barely remember this store, but nevertheless, it persisted. Until, of course, it didn’t.
Circuit City
Otherwise known as the place your dad would drag you to after school to buy extension cords when you just wanted to go home and watch Hey Arnold! and eat Lunchables, ugh.
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