Get in, we’re going Hello Kitty shopping
Who can name a better way to spend your spring break than waking up at 6 a.m. to drive two hours away to grab some limited-edition Hello Kitty merch? Apparently not me, so follow along on this adventure, and you might be inspired to check it out yourself!
The Hello Kitty Cafe Truck has been driving around since 2014, delivering fans an exclusive chance to snag special merch and sweet treats.
Currently, there are three trucks nationwide: One that travels the West Coast, central US, and, of course, the East Coast truck, which is currently circulating the DMV for the next couple of weeks.
My friends and I planned to visit the truck during spring break while it was stopped at the Short Pump Mall in Richmond, VA. That particular location is roughly two hours away from where we live.
The truck opened at 10 a.m. With the hopes of beating the crowd, we decided to leave bright and early at six in the morning.
We arrived at 8 a.m. and we were welcomed with about twenty to thirty people already in line and a cold damp sidewalk for us to call home for the next two hours.
The jackets and blankets we brought provided some comfort, and the sidewalk quickly turned into a cozy waiting spot (or as cozy as a slab of concrete can be anyway).
Of course, any daring journey would not be complete without the heroes. My friend took a treacherous journey into the cold damp morning to grab us all McDonald’s to feast on.
Meanwhile, I, as the self-proclaimed leader of the group, had made sure to pack my Nintendo Switch to pass the long hours.
It turns out, time can slip away from you when losing horribly at Mario Party.
Then, the moment we had all been dreaming of had come! The clock had struck ten.
Almost instantly, the crowd started to come to life, being blessed with the energy of Hello Kitty herself. Suddenly, the four hours of waiting and a week of anticipation were all worth it.
Of course, we had to keep the party going by playing HEADS-UP while moving through the line. This is where I discovered my secret new skill of being great at charades.
The truck itself was a Hello Kitty work of art. From her signature bows on the tires to an entire mural of Hello Kitty working in her cafe, the entire truck made us giddy inside.
Though they ended up selling out of the blankets right before our turn, I happily went on to buy a pink 50th anniversary hoodie, a purple 50th anniversary t-shirt, and a pink water bottle with Hello Kitty in her chef jacket.
Luckily, my friend bought the Hello Kitty Macaroons (which also had little bows on them) and shared them with me. I have to admit they were better than I thought they were going to be.
By the time we got to the car, it was roughly 10:45 a.m., nothing could beat the relief we felt when looking at the line. It had now wrapped around the building as far as we could see, with at least one hundred people.
After finally heading home with our various goodies in hand, we can say it was a very successful trip. It was also a great way to kick off break.
Unfortunately, most Hello Kitty/Sanrio stores within the US are mostly located in California. With the level of crowds from the East Coast Truck, I would say there is definitely a market for it.
If you are interested in seeing the Truck for yourself, it has a couple more weekends circulating the Maryland area. So grab your willing (or unwilling) friend, and take a trip!