The Bay Area’s first character cafe opened in Westfield Valley Fair to hundreds of excited fans.
The Hello Kitty Cafe opened Friday as the mall continues to bring new stores and different businesses into its $1.1 billion expansion. The mall is planning to open 25 new stores and restaurants in 2025 and remains one of the nation’s most trafficked shopping centers. The cafe is a first for the Bay Area which should also attract shoppers from its high-end neighbor across the street, Santana Row. The line of more than 500 fans snaked through the mall from the cafe entrance near Bloomingdales all the way down to Urban Outfitters and back.
@sanjosespotlight The Bay Area’s first character cafe opened in Westfield Valley Fair to hundreds of excited fans. The Hello Kitty Cafe opened Friday as the mall continues to bring new stores and different businesses into its $1.1 billion expansion. Read more at SanJoseSpotlight.com. #hellokitty #sanrio #santaclara #siliconvalley #bayarea #hellokittycafe
Urania Chien, one of the cafe’s managing partners, helped bring the Hello Kitty cafes to America 10 years ago, with a first location in Irvine. She helped manage the cafe’s foot traffic on opening day, navigating hundreds of fans in a line that stretched around the hallway.
“Our goal here is for people to make memories with each other, with Hello Kitty,” Chien told San José Spotlight. “The more we can do that, the more we feel like we’ve succeeded.”
Sanrio, the company that owns the Hello Kitty brand, had its first American headquarters in the Bay Area. Chien, who grew up in Silicon Valley, said the company’s historic ties to the area mean there’s a high concentration of fans.
Chien said Westfield Valley Fair is an ideal location since the larger mall helps fans have a broader experience, with so many other businesses.
Business owners and venues have prioritized customer entertainment and experience as they seek to recover from COVID-19 related losses. Customers can order drinks and pastries from the cafe, but in another room, people can reserve afternoon tea or evening snacks with Hello Kitty-themed desserts.
Hundreds of fans lined up for the cafe hours before it opened. Some came from as far as Oakdale for a chance to meet the Hello Kitty mascot and taste the cafe’s afternoon tea treats.
Debra Dixon, a Santa Cruz resident, said she waited in line for more than three hours. She’s been a fan since the character debuted in the 70s, and was excited to go to a real Hello Kitty themed event.
“It’s really great,” Dixon told San José Spotlight. “That’s why I wanted to come to this, because I haven’t been to any events around Hello Kitty before.”
Angie Cortez and Cielo Garcia — from East Palo Alto and San Jose respectively — waited for hours to get their drinks and a photo with the Hello Kitty mascot. Both wore pink and white to celebrate the character, and Cortez wore Hello Kitty themed shoes, which she’s had for years.
“I’m pleasantly surprised with my experience, everything was well coordinated,” Cortez told San José Spotlight. “I loved it, even waiting in line was fun.”
Contact B. Sakura Cannestra at [email protected] or @SakuCannestra on X.
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