SINGAPORE - Singapore's first Hello Kitty-themed cafe, which opened amid much fanfare more than two years ago at Changi Airport's Terminal 3 arrival hall, will be closing early next year.
"They say all good things come to an end, and Hello Kitty Orchid Garden will be shutting its doors for good come February 2019," said the cafe in a Facebook post on Friday (Oct 12). It added in a statement that its last day of operations will be on Feb 8 next year.
Responding to queries from The Straits Times, Ms Fiona Chin, assistant manager for marketing at Europa Specialty Restaurant, which owns and operates the cafe, said the decision to close the cafe comes with the end of the company's licence and partnership with Sanrio, the Japanese company which owns the Hello Kitty Brand.
She added that there are no plans to relocate the cafe, which will be closed permanently. As for whether there will be any Hello Kitty cafes in Singapore in future, she declined to comment.
"We would like to express gratitude and appreciation to all the fans and supporters of the cafe. We are humbled by the support and look forward to bringing our customers more exciting F&B themes and concepts," said Ms Chin.
The eatery, the world's first 24-hour Hello Kitty cafe, drew hundreds of fans at its opening in May 2016, with some queueing up hours before it opened.
Its Hello Kitty-inspired dishes include waffles in the shape of the iconic feline character, as well as smoked salmon sandwiches, spicy dried shrimp sambal pasta and frozen yogurt.
In July this year, the cafe also announced the launch of ice-cream mooncakes featuring the character.
To mark its departure, the cafe will be throwing four tea parties in December. Tickets to the party, sold at $138 for a pair, include canapes, gelato as well as limited-edition Hello Kitty merchandise. The sessions, which will be held at the cafe, will also feature games, quizzes and lucky draws.
The Straits Times has contacted the cafe for more details on why it is closing and whether it is relocating elsewhere.
