Hello Kitty fans gather at opening new café in San Jose

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) -- Sanrio fans from all over the Bay Area came to Santana Row in San Jose for the opening of a new Hello Kitty café.

"This is really what it's all about, seeing so much happiness and the love for Hello Kitty that inspires so many people," Sanrio Vice President of Brand Management and Marketing Dave Marchi said.

Customers waited in line for hours on opening day, all for a dose of some Hello Kitty cuteness. "It's just really nostalgic for me to be here, so that's what's pulling me through," San Jose resident AnneMarie Sohn said. "Walking here we saw the line, and we're like, 'oh goodness,' we should've came at like 9 a.m."

"I loved Hello Kitty ever since I was a little kid," San Jose resident Donna Kosanovich said. "I had the day off work, I don't really get to do this kind of stuff, and I just wanted to have some fun. I collected all the pencil boxes, lunch boxes, pens, markers, it's just something that I just loved. It's just so cute, it's a lot of fun."

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"I'm going to stay as long as it takes, and I hope my job doesn't call today, but I'm excited, and I can't wait, it's worth the wait," Union City resident Nicole Perez said.

"I love the Hello Kitty, I love Keroppi, Twinkle Star, all of them. Nostagia. I mean, I'm in my 30's, but these are my childhood memories, and this is what I have," San Jose resident Vi Tran said.

The Hello Kitty Mini Café is the first one in Northern California. Sanrio, its parent company, opened its first U.S. store at Eastridge Mall more than 30 years ago.

The Hello Kitty Mini Cafe opened Friday and is expected to stay open through the end of the year.