Nixed in the 1990s
January 8, 2012 10:04 PM Subscribe
What once-popular products, brands, or even trends bit the dust in the 1990s? I'm thinking of everything from short-lived food items like Orbitz Soda to popular shows like "Mystery Science Theater 3000" to store and restaurant chains that closed down in that decade. Primarily American, or at least things that were popular in America.
While doing a nostalgic search for the Pizzaria chips, I found this thread about extinct 90s snack food:
http://www.inthe00s.com/archive/inthe90s/smf/1140263986.shtml
Dunkaroos, wow. Those were animal cookies you dipped in frosting.
posted by Nattie at 10:10 PM on January 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
http://www.inthe00s.com/archive/inthe90s/smf/1140263986.shtml
Dunkaroos, wow. Those were animal cookies you dipped in frosting.
posted by Nattie at 10:10 PM on January 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
Pan Am went under in 1991. The Apple Newton bit the dust surprisingly late, in '98. Does the Soviet Union count?
posted by Gilbert at 10:14 PM on January 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Gilbert at 10:14 PM on January 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
Cassette tapes.
posted by a humble nudibranch at 10:22 PM on January 8, 2012
posted by a humble nudibranch at 10:22 PM on January 8, 2012
Perhaps unsurprisingly, there's a Wikipedia page related to this.
One of note, Calvin and Hobbes ended in 1995.
posted by brentajones at 10:23 PM on January 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
One of note, Calvin and Hobbes ended in 1995.
posted by brentajones at 10:23 PM on January 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
Drinks: Mario Punch (tiny cans, different flavors... only ever found this at a place called McFrugals), Crystal Pepsi, Surge.
posted by Nattie at 10:23 PM on January 8, 2012
posted by Nattie at 10:23 PM on January 8, 2012
Surge was the first thing that came to my mind as well, but Wikipedia suggests Coca-Cola didn't stop making it until 2001-2002.
posted by brentajones at 10:26 PM on January 8, 2012
posted by brentajones at 10:26 PM on January 8, 2012
Actually, Dunkaroos are still in production! I saw them in the store a few months ago. They've stopped producing a few flavors but they're not dead yet.
posted by elerina at 10:30 PM on January 8, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by elerina at 10:30 PM on January 8, 2012 [2 favorites]
GaelFC: Walmart, but apparently you can buy them on Amazon as well.
posted by elerina at 10:40 PM on January 8, 2012
posted by elerina at 10:40 PM on January 8, 2012
PLANTERS P.B. CRISPS!
Forgive my excitement. In the name of this delicious treat, I want the 90's to come back with a vengeance.
The Ren and Stimpy Show can stay there.
posted by acertainseason at 10:47 PM on January 8, 2012
Forgive my excitement. In the name of this delicious treat, I want the 90's to come back with a vengeance.
The Ren and Stimpy Show can stay there.
posted by acertainseason at 10:47 PM on January 8, 2012
Fruitopia is still around, just not in the USA. It was available there until 2003 though.
posted by You Should See the Other Guy at 11:11 PM on January 8, 2012
posted by You Should See the Other Guy at 11:11 PM on January 8, 2012
Sigh. Eagle brand snacks. Specifically the very tasty pretzels in the shape of the Anheuser-Busch logo.
posted by FlamingBore at 11:50 PM on January 8, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by FlamingBore at 11:50 PM on January 8, 2012 [2 favorites]
Josta! Introduced in 1995 as the first US energy drink and discontinued in 1999, though it will live forever in my heart.
posted by zotterdas at 11:57 PM on January 8, 2012
posted by zotterdas at 11:57 PM on January 8, 2012
Video arcades
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Star Wars movies... from a certain point of view.
posted by -harlequin- at 12:14 AM on January 9, 2012
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Star Wars movies... from a certain point of view.
posted by -harlequin- at 12:14 AM on January 9, 2012
Eagle Hardware & Garden, well-known chain in the Northwest, bought (and ruined) by Lowe's in 1999. Now mostly remembered for their Mariners commercials.
Maybe too regional?
posted by litlnemo at 2:44 AM on January 9, 2012
Maybe too regional?
posted by litlnemo at 2:44 AM on January 9, 2012
I'm not sure when Steak & Ale finally died, but I remember seeing the Atlanta locations close down in the '90s.
posted by thelonius at 2:53 AM on January 9, 2012
posted by thelonius at 2:53 AM on January 9, 2012
Hypercolor. Everybody thought they were so cool until you realized that they would change color mostly under your pits. Not attractive. The shorts were even worse. Good idea, bad execution.
posted by TooFewShoes at 3:22 AM on January 9, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by TooFewShoes at 3:22 AM on January 9, 2012 [2 favorites]
Star Wars movies... from a certain point of view.
From the same point of view, the Matrix movies. The first of the series, "The Matrix," was released in 1999.
posted by Gordion Knott at 4:32 AM on January 9, 2012
From the same point of view, the Matrix movies. The first of the series, "The Matrix," was released in 1999.
posted by Gordion Knott at 4:32 AM on January 9, 2012
Those 3D Magic Eye pictures.
posted by backwards guitar at 4:47 AM on January 9, 2012
posted by backwards guitar at 4:47 AM on January 9, 2012
Woolworth's.
Oh, man, Fruitopia was delicious for about 10 minutes before it got bought by Pepsi and run into the ground.
Hi-C Ecto Cooler.
posted by tchemgrrl at 5:50 AM on January 9, 2012
Oh, man, Fruitopia was delicious for about 10 minutes before it got bought by Pepsi and run into the ground.
Hi-C Ecto Cooler.
posted by tchemgrrl at 5:50 AM on January 9, 2012
Assuming you only count the commericalized game popular outside of Hawaii, Pogs should count.
posted by Bulgaroktonos at 6:14 AM on January 9, 2012
posted by Bulgaroktonos at 6:14 AM on January 9, 2012
Cheers
The Far Side comic strip
Sassy magazine
The Cosby Show
Banana clips
posted by corey flood at 6:28 AM on January 9, 2012
The Far Side comic strip
Sassy magazine
The Cosby Show
Banana clips
posted by corey flood at 6:28 AM on January 9, 2012
Not Elerina, but I can get Dunkaroos at Dollar General.
posted by clerestory at 6:46 AM on January 9, 2012
posted by clerestory at 6:46 AM on January 9, 2012
Melrose Place ended the same year the 90's themselves did.
(And the pedant in me is questioning whether Orbitz really was "popular", but that could just be because I thought it was nasty.)
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:00 AM on January 9, 2012
(And the pedant in me is questioning whether Orbitz really was "popular", but that could just be because I thought it was nasty.)
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:00 AM on January 9, 2012
Wang Laboratories; there are some vestigial remnants still around, but nothing like they used to be.
posted by TedW at 7:15 AM on January 9, 2012
posted by TedW at 7:15 AM on January 9, 2012
Service Merchandise? I want to say it was one of those stores like Argos or Circuit City, where your purchases came on a conveyor belt from the back, but mostly I remember its location in the mall that inexplicably still hasn't died.
posted by hoyland at 7:23 AM on January 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by hoyland at 7:23 AM on January 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
Neo-Geo
TurboGrafix 16
LA Law
Starter jackets
Construx
posted by obscurator at 7:43 AM on January 9, 2012
TurboGrafix 16
LA Law
Starter jackets
Construx
posted by obscurator at 7:43 AM on January 9, 2012
Pop Secret's "Pop Qwiz" popcorn (microwave popcorn dyed bright colors)
Sodalicious fruit snacks
Keebler's Lemon Coolers cookies
Not a brand, but tan colored M&Ms.
Pizza Hut had the "Bigfoot" party-sized pizza, which was extremely popular at sleepovers.
posted by castlebravo at 7:55 AM on January 9, 2012
Sodalicious fruit snacks
Keebler's Lemon Coolers cookies
Not a brand, but tan colored M&Ms.
Pizza Hut had the "Bigfoot" party-sized pizza, which was extremely popular at sleepovers.
posted by castlebravo at 7:55 AM on January 9, 2012
Marriott Corporation began as a restaurant chain in Washington, DC called Hot Shoppes. The last one closed in 1999.
posted by Rash at 9:20 AM on January 9, 2012
posted by Rash at 9:20 AM on January 9, 2012
Pizzarias chips are back - we had them in the vending machine at my former workplace. I think you can also get them at Dollar Tree.
National Lampoon magazine
Carnation Breakfast Bars (I miss these. Used to LOVE them!)
Venture
Child World
Woolworth's (in the US)
posted by SisterHavana at 9:55 AM on January 9, 2012
National Lampoon magazine
Carnation Breakfast Bars (I miss these. Used to LOVE them!)
Venture
Child World
Woolworth's (in the US)
posted by SisterHavana at 9:55 AM on January 9, 2012
The Houston Oilers (American football team) ended in 1996. They moved to Tennessee and were renamed the Titans.
posted by SuperSquirrel at 10:37 AM on January 9, 2012
posted by SuperSquirrel at 10:37 AM on January 9, 2012
TRW. True, it wasn't until 2002 that Northrop-Grumman absorbed most of their interesting work but in 1996 TRW Credit was spun off to form Experian, one of the Big Three (along with TransUnion and Equifax).
Also, they sold remaining inventory in the first months of the new century, but DaimlerChrysler announced the death of the Plymouth in November, 1999.
posted by Rash at 10:43 AM on January 9, 2012
Also, they sold remaining inventory in the first months of the new century, but DaimlerChrysler announced the death of the Plymouth in November, 1999.
posted by Rash at 10:43 AM on January 9, 2012
Beanie babies. Game Boy.
posted by oceanjesse at 11:44 AM on January 9, 2012
posted by oceanjesse at 11:44 AM on January 9, 2012
Anyone interested in this thread could probably spend a few weeks reading backlogs of X-Entertainment. This page has a lot of relevant articles for 80s/90s nostalgia stuff.
posted by Lifeson at 1:34 PM on January 9, 2012
posted by Lifeson at 1:34 PM on January 9, 2012
> Dunkaroos, wow. Those were animal cookies you dipped in frosting.
Well, that's confusing/disturbing, because just last month a friend found a batch at a Dollar Tree and bought them in an excited fit of nostalgia, thinking as we all did they'd been discontinued a decade ago...
posted by ifjuly at 4:42 AM on January 10, 2012
Well, that's confusing/disturbing, because just last month a friend found a batch at a Dollar Tree and bought them in an excited fit of nostalgia, thinking as we all did they'd been discontinued a decade ago...
posted by ifjuly at 4:42 AM on January 10, 2012
Bell Labs; it became Lucent in 1996, then Alcatel-Lucent in 2006, but it hasn't been the same since AT&T spun it off (and was in decline before then).
posted by TedW at 8:36 AM on January 10, 2012
posted by TedW at 8:36 AM on January 10, 2012
Both Gottlieb and Williams stopped manufacturing pinball machines in the 90s.
posted by FlamingBore at 11:03 AM on January 11, 2012
posted by FlamingBore at 11:03 AM on January 11, 2012
This thread is closed to new comments.
Pizzeria Chips. Those things were awesome. Keebler made them.
posted by Nattie at 10:08 PM on January 8, 2012 [2 favorites]