Spencer Spirit Holdings, the Egg Harbor Township company behind Spencer's and Spirit Halloween, closed its roughly $350 million acquisition of Hot Topic on Sept. 2.

The deal, first reported by NJBIZ, brings Hot Topic and its sister brands BoxLunch and Her Universe under the same corporate umbrella as Spencer's and Spirit Halloween. The combined company operates more than 3,000 stores across North America.

For Cherry Hill Mall shoppers, the transaction means two of the mall's stores share a parent company. Spencer's and Hot Topic both operate locations inside the mall at 2000 Route 38, according to the mall's directory. Spirit Halloween also has a seasonal location at the former LA Fitness on Route 38 for the 2026 Halloween season.

Spencer Spirit did not disclose financial terms in its press release. Bloomberg reported the deal could be worth approximately $350 million.

Spencer's has deep roots at Cherry Hill Mall. The novelty retailer opened its first brick-and-mortar store there in 1963 and moved to a larger spot in the JCPenney wing in May. The space is about 1,000 square feet bigger than the old one. District store manager Danielle Voelkel, an 11-year employee, told the Philadelphia Inquirer in July that the store draws about 100 customers on a regular weekday.

"Retailing is like being a shark. You constantly have to be moving or you die," CEO Steven Silverstein told the Inquirer in July, weeks before the Hot Topic deal was announced.

Silverstein, who has led Spencer Spirit since 2003, said in the Aug. 6 acquisition announcement that the combined brands share "a passion for product, storytelling, and customer experience" and that the deal "broadens our reach."

Hot Topic, founded in 1989, operates more than 615 locations. BoxLunch has more than 280 stores, and Her Universe is a fandom-focused online fashion brand founded in 2010. All three will keep their California headquarters and continue to operate independently, according to the company's announcement.

Hot Topic CEO Steve Vranes, who has led that company for more than a decade, will stay in his role and report to Silverstein.

Spencer Spirit bought the brands from Sycamore Partners, a New York-based private equity firm that acquired Hot Topic in 2013 for roughly $600 million. The company's revenue has grown 50% since 2019, Silverstein told the Inquirer in July.

No changes to the Cherry Hill Mall stores have been announced as a result of the deal.