Sanrio's 50th Anniversary: Small Gift L.A.
Little Yuzu is Reading
Poison Study
Maria V. Snyder
2010 marks Sanrio's 50th anniversary and, to help celebrate, they're sending a pop-up shop on a tour around the United States. They're also holding a special Small Gift event, complete with food trucks, games, crafts, rides, art show and shopping. Not only was I lucky to have Hello Kitty's Three Apples 35th birthday celebration so close to my work last year (I visited four times), but I'm also fortunate that L.A. is one of only two cities in which this huge event is taking place. This past Saturday pochacco906 and I, being the die-hard Hello Kitty fans that we are, headed down to the airport hangar in Santa Monica to immerse ourselves in the super cuteness that is Sanrio.
Huge Sanrio plushies on a stage
Sanrio rainbow at the entrance
Huge balloons of various characters hung overhead
Inside the pop-up shop
Small Gift T-shirts
Old school Little Twin Stars stuff
Colorful artwork
Sanrio character handmade plushies by Anna Chambers
Remember these Sanrio characters?
Hello Kitty and Chococat amigurumi
Keroppi and Tuxedo Sam amigurumi
My favorite thing in the gallery - Sanrio character scarves
crocheted by the one and only twinkiechan
Big Hello Kitty plush next to Beard Papa cream puff booth
Miniature housing in the miniature golf course
Game, craft and ride tickets were $2 each?!
A ferris wheel with Sanrio character faces on it
The event was really packed. I couldn't believe how many people were there. pochacco906 and I had to wait in line for over an hour to get into the pop-up shop, and once we got in, we had to do our best not to go too crazy. A lot of the stuff was expensive, but I did make away with a few shirts, a mini tote, folders and a laptop sleeve. I went back with my sister and her kids the next day, and the event was even busier than before. On the plus side, my sister won me a kimono Hello Kitty plush from the claw machine on her first try!
Small Gift L.A. - now through November 21, 2010
Barker Air Center
3021 Airport Avenue
Santa Monica, CA 90405
www.sanrio.com.smallgift/la