Bay Area Hello Kitty fans have exciting news: Sanrio, the Japanese brand behind Hello Kitty, is reopening a store in the Bay Area. The grand opening took place Friday at Cupertino Marketplace, located at 19690 Stevens Creek Blvd.
To celebrate, fans can enjoy giveaways and photo ops with Hello Kitty herself, who is scheduled to appear from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., according to Sanrio’s Instagram. The new store will be stocked with Hello Kitty merchandise, including plush toys, stationery, beauty products, and apparel, along with items featuring other Sanrio characters like My Melody, Kuromi, Cinnamoroll, and Keroppi.
Hello Kitty, created by illustrator Yuko Shimizu in 1974, originally appeared on items like stationery and tote bags and quickly became a pop culture icon. Though often thought of as a cat, Sanrio clarified years ago that Hello Kitty is actually a little girl.