More about Sanrio Store Closings

Yes the Washington Square, Oregon  store is closing but  no date is given yet. Still things are getting weird, it has to do with Nakajima closing all it Sanrio stores, the only ones that will be left are five or so Sanrio owned stores. In other words, there probably be more store closings. The owner of the Washington Square will retire. She said something about Nakajima license to market Hello kitty was pulled and the problem with counterfeit goods.  Did  Nakajima decide to end licensing of Sanrio products or  Sanrio pulled the license?  The plot thickens.

One more thing, it has not escape me how Hello Kitty item are now being sold  outside  the boutique store like what I say at Fry’s today.

Hello KItty at Frys

Sanrio Throws Back to 1982

Courtesy of Sanrio and Buzzfeed:  You Will Want Everything From This 1982 Sanrio Catalog.

Iron Lace had scanned a vintage 1982 Sanrio’s retailers catalog.  I agree with buzzed feed, while Hello Kitty has changed many of the offering had remain the same over the years.  I found the Robby Rabbit line interesting. Also interesting are the prices the 1982 plushies.   Not everything that is vintage Sanrio can commands higher prices because of Mr. Shintaro Tsuji careful management of the band so Sanrio items do not become a fad like the Bennie Babies bubble.

Link to Buzzfeed Article

Link to Lance’s full catalog scan

Goodbye Kitty?

Recently I had been noting a rash of Sanrio stores closing around the country. Stores are closing in Northern California, Houston Texas and the Dallas store is in Lockout according to friends at Hello Kitty Junkies. In the news another store is closing in St Louis area new story notes January is the time many business end their lease and close down perhaps why the reason for the rash of closings . Update:  a member of hello Kitty Junkies reports her local store in Virginia is closing.  The Even in Portland we are not immune; Sanrio Surprise is closing and merging with the Washington Square Hello Kitty Sore.  While this does not mean Hello Kitty is going away but this will have an impact on Sanrio’s financial numbers and put a damper on Hello Kitty’s 40th anniversary.  Already hedge   investors are responding   as Sanrio is one of the top three stocks being sorted on the Japan’s Topix 500 index.

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