Hello Kitty and Friends officially took over Tangram Mall in Flushing this past Saturday when hundreds of Sanrio fans lined up for Miniso’s limited-time pop-up, open now through April 5.
Excited guests arrived as early as 2:30 a.m., camping outside the mall so they could be first inside the shop that features over 500 Sanrio-themed items, including t-shirts, socks, tote bags, makeup bags, accessories, keychains, figurines, home goods, cosmetics, snacks and a variety of exclusive blind boxes.
This is the first time Miniso, a Chinese lifestyle brand, has brought the pop-up to the United States, making it a high-traffic destination for Sanrio fans across New York City.
Carlos Ayala, manager of the pop-up for Miniso USA, said the team was expecting a large crowd on its opening day based on previous experiences with pop-ups at Tangram, but it was still exciting to see the overwhelming response it got.
“It’s a good feeling,” he said. “I’m happy everyone is enjoying it, including the staff and customers. And I’m happy the community is getting involved.”
Suzeth Wilson-Thomas, the East Coast regional manager at Miniso, said after taking a survey, the team realized there was a huge demand for Sanrio IP in the area.
Miniso is relatively new to the East Coast, so Wilson-Thomas said the pop-up was a great opportunity to connect fans with their merchandise.
“Even when we first opened up, I noticed there was a lot of love from Hello Kitty fans,” she explained. “She’s a legend, you know? It’s a childhood memory for most people, going back to a time when they were young and excited.”
According to Ayala, the pop-up’s facade took about two days to construct in the lobby of the mall, and it took another two days to complete the displays and stock all the items.
Not only does the pop-up generate a lot of business on its own, he said, but it helps attract customers to other stores in the mall. He said this pop-up is expected to generate over $1 million.
“It’s unique,” Ayala said. “It’s just a good experience that’s enjoyable for everyone.”
Not only is the pop-up fun for long-time Hello Kitty fans, Wilson-Thomas added, but it’s a great opportunity for fans to share it with friends and pass it along to their children.
Emily A., who arrived at Tangram at 6:30 a.m., bought over $200 of merchandise during her visit to the pop-up. Not only did she buy a t-shirt and a few blind boxes, but she also got the free Miniso tote bag in the brand’s iconic red color.
“It was worth the wait,” she said, laughing. “If I came later, I would’ve still been waiting in line with no additional merch.”
She said the pop-up was a great opportunity for her to stock up on collectibles not only for herself, but for her friend who lives out of state.
“That’s what makes it even more special for me,” Emily said. “I can get something for her the same way she would do for me.”
Andrea M., whose favorite Sanrio characters are Badtz-Maru and My Melody, said she often travels around the world shopping for exclusive merchandise, so she couldn’t resist the pop-up.
She said the shop’s attention to detail really stood out to her, and there were so many items to choose from. She stocked up on blind boxes filled with Hello Kitty and Sanrio collectibles during her visit.
“It’s special,” she said. “I didn’t realize how much stuff they have. I just wish it was even bigger!”
Lassana A. said her friend sent her an invite to the pop-up, which she immediately jumped on. As a lifelong fan of Hello Kitty, getting access to exclusive merch was a huge draw for her.
She purchased a plushie and two blind boxes, as well as some items from the tennis collection for her mother.
One of the best parts about the pop-up, Lassana said, was how many different demographics of people it attracted.
“It’s honestly so cool to see just a diverse group of people,” Lassana said. “You would think it would be a certain demographic, but there’s Black and Brown people too. And we all just love Sanrio.”
For more information about Miniso, visit their U.S. website, Miniso-US.com, or visit Miniso.com for the scoop on all pop-ups and events around the world.
