I still cannot believe about the Sanrio boutique stores closing down...only ones left around here now are Great Mall, Eastridge Mall, and Hillsdale.

I understand there are a bunch of corporate and business strategy reasons for it (http://www.kittyblog.asinglelion.com/?p=567) and Nakajima is pushing for licensed merchandise sold at big retailers (Hello Kitty goods sold at Target, Walmart, Fry's, whathaveyou) but there is something really important to me about going into a Sanrio store and just feeling really happy and at home.  Even if I didn't end up buying much, going to the Valley Fair, Westfield SF stores was always a delight, they were so bright and colorful and browsing the aisles was always so fun.  Without these stores I would have to go look online to buy all of the Cinnamoroll, Little Twin Stars items and the actual high quality Sanrio merchandise, which I guess theoretically shouldn't be the end of the world, but still just very sad that that experience is gone.

On the plus side I will probably be traveling to Japan in a couple of months, so I can make another pilgrimage to Puroland or something...