When the Bay Area’s first Hello Kitty Cafe debuted, more than 500 customers got in line before its 10 a.m. opening time. Some fans waited five hours just to enter, according to co-owner Urania Chien.
The new cafe at Santa Clara’s West Valley Mall is the latest by Chien, who grew up nearby in Cupertino. Chien works in partnership with Sanrio, the brand behind Hello Kitty, which opened its first retail outlet outside of Japan in the Bay Area in 1976. There are four other Hello Kitty Cafes in the U.S.; they’re known for drinks, treats and special merchandise, all decorated with signature elements from the cartoon sensation.
“I always wanted to open a store in the Bay Area because I knew so many of us were Hello Kitty fans and collectors,” she said.
Here’s what’s on offer:…