Laura Chin walked into the Hello Kitty Cafe, dressed for the occasion.

Wearing a pink milkmaid dress adorned with sprinkles, the longtime Sanrio fan completed her outfit with black cat ears and various themed accessories. Greeted by cases filled with cute Hello Kitty-themed confectionery and employees sporting signature pink aprons, the experience elevated Chin’s love for the Japanese brand.

“Sanrio is often dismissed as just a cute pastel brand for children, or perhaps a nostalgic relic of Y2K,” Chin says. “But we overlook its cultural depth; it has enduring relevance. It has a really big aesthetic influence across, I believe, generations and even subcultures.”

That influence is reaching fever pitch in the Bay Area. When Westfield Valley Fair mall unveiled the Hello Kitty Cafe in mid-J

See Full Page