20 stores that were crazy popular in the '90s and '00s

Was there anything more exciting in the ‘90s and ‘00s than getting a Delia’s catalog? The pages were full of clothing to be coveted. The stores were catalogs come to life, and they were almost too overwhelming to fully take in because of the cuteness overload. 

Hollister was also overwhelming but for a completely different reason. It was too dark and too odorous for most moms to enter, meaning you could get away with buying something you otherwise wouldn’t have been allowed. 

Abercrombie & Fitch is still popular today thanks to its jeans and a rebrand, but those who were shopping in the Michael Jeffries era will remember the shirtless models standing outside the store and begging disapproving parents to go inside. 

Imagine a world where Blockbuster seized the opportunity to buy Netflix. That could’ve been our reality, but instead, we’re left with the memories of the bygone movie rental store. It was an amazing place, one that won’t soon be forgotten. 

Limited Too was the creme de la creme of stores for young girls in the ‘90s and ‘00s. It was bright and colorful and had everything an adolescent who was into clothes and makeup could’ve wanted. It swiftly came to an end right with the ‘00s. 

FYE was the ultimate store for entertainment lovers in the ‘90s and ‘00s. It opened in 1993, which upped its cool factor, and it was responsible for the downfall of other similar stores like Sam Goody. 

Lorne’s became Wet Seal in 1990, and the store never looked back. Though it had a major moment in the ‘90s and ‘00s, thanks to its cheap and trendy clothing, the rebrand, in retrospect, was the beginning of the end. The store closed permanently in 2017 after filing for bankruptcy. 

Independent bookstores still have a chance of making it today, but most chains that were all the rage in the ‘90s and ‘00s, like Waldenbooks, weren’t able to hack it thanks to Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and department stores. Waldenbooks closed for good in 2011. 

Borders was also all the rage for years before the ‘90s and ‘00s, really hitting its stride in the former decade and then slipping out of existence in the latter. Many people blame Borders’ demise on its inability to transition to the digital retail landscape. 

What kid didn’t love Toys "R" Us? It was a haven for any small child who loved toys (pretty much every small child) that was just as fun for adults (unless they had to pay). Toys "R" Us has been through the wringer, but it’s still alive and kicking today. 

Any store with a massage chair is bound to get customers inside. Sharper Image largely defined mall culture in the ‘90s and ‘00s, but in the late ‘00s, the company filed for bankruptcy, and all the physical stores closed. 

A discount shoe store right in the mall? No wonder this store was so popular. The retailer had operated for decades prior, but in 1991, it rebranded to Payless Shoe Source, and it was a huge success. Eventually, the company filed for bankruptcy, but there are still some storefronts open today. 

Yankee Candle always had lots of people inside — who wouldn’t want to stand and smell candles for an hour? — but it always seemed like more of those people were just getting a free whiff than actually buying the products. 

Speaking of places where people could stand for hours and smell things, Bath & Body Works was a major draw in the ‘90s and ‘00s. It first opened in 1990, when mall culture was at its peak. The stores are still very much in operation today. 

Spencer’s is another store that operated for decades before the ‘90s and ‘00s, but it still stands out as a hallmark of those eras. Its merchandise is truly unique, and so much of it screams ‘90s and ‘00s. 

Why buy a ready-made stuffed animal when you could spend nearly $100 on one that you have to stuff yourself? Build-A-Bear still has massive appeal with kids, though its sales are declining. 

Claire’s is also still in business, though its sales are declining, too. In the ‘90s and ‘00s, this store was crazy popular thanks to its overpriced jewelry and free ear piercings. You’d be hard-pressed to find an American millennial girl who didn’t get at least one ear piercing at Claire’s. 

Aspiring geologists had the time of their lives at The Nature Company. The chain was full of rocks and other natural products, but it closed for good in 2001 after being purchased by Discovery Channel. It was the end of an era. 

RadioShack was a blast to visit in the ‘90s and ‘00s. Technology was booming, and nothing inside the store was lame. RadioShack is still open today, but it doesn’t have the same appeal it once had. 

Growing up in the ‘90s and ‘00s, it felt like Zales had the nicest jewelry known to man. Eventually, we all realized that is not true, but browsing the sparkly inventory is still fun whenever you’re near a storefront.