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Sanrio wants Hello Kitty to grow up

Flagging earnings force company to send iconic brand into adult market

This Sanrio pop-up shop in a Tokyo branch of Keio Department Store targets seniors.

TOKYO -- Hello Kitty is not just kids' stuff anymore. Creator Sanrio is trying to leverage the character's appeal by expanding into the adult and senior markets with luxury wallets and handbags branded with the iconic feline.

The company kicked off its adult venture with a pop-up shop that sells canes and stuffed toys sporting Hello Kitty and other characters. The shop, located inside a Keio Department Store branch in Tokyo, will remain open through December.

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