Reader: Here, Kitty, Kitty! Lollipop Gift lives, but should these parents?

This week Jenn Wohletz lamented the closing of Lollipop Gift, the Hello Kitty store that had closed, without explanation, in the Denver Pavilions. Now we've heard from Kenneth Chan, the owner, who provides that explanation. While the store was doing "fine," he also owns other companies and just didn't have...

By Patricia Calhoun

September 28, 2012

[
        {
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Inline Content - Mobile Display Size",
          "component": "12017618",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
        },{
          "name": "Editor Picks",
          "component": "17242653",
          "insertPoint": "4",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18838239",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17261320",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18838239",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - Leaderboard Tower - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17261321",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        }
      ]

This week Jenn Wohletz lamented the closing of Lollipop Gift, the Hello Kitty store that had closed, without explanation, in the Denver Pavilions. Now we've heard from Kenneth Chan, the owner, who provides that explanation. While the store was doing "fine," he also owns other companies and just didn't have time to run this shop while also traveling to trade shows and taking care of business. He'd only signed a nine-month lease, he says, and decided not to resign. "So, it's come to the end," he writes.

But he also has more to say, about the state of parenting today: See also: - Goodbye, Kitty! Lollipop Gift, the Hello Kitty store, closes - Hello Kitty comes to the 16th Street Mall at Lollipop Gifts

Nowadays, parenting is different. It's not like it used to be. Crystal and I saw it every day: kids crying, begging for a Hello Kitty diary or pencil, or who were dumped by irresponsible parents while they were killing time for restaurant table or bra shopping, etc. They used Lollipop as a-day care. A young girl wants to write diary, Mom's response: "No, get a compact mirror instead." It breaks my heart. Beautiful stationery encourage young writers -- not anymore.

I met so many great friends and supporter in my store. Since then, we became very good friends....I will stay on my Lollipop Gift Facebook to keep in touch with my Customers. Hopefully, we can do a pop-up shop someday.

Did you shop at Lollipop? Would you visit a pop-up? And should parents like these be banned?

Follow @WestwordCulture

KEEP WESTWORD FREE... Since we started Westword, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of Denver, and we'd like to keep it that way. Your membership allows us to continue offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food, and culture with no paywalls. You can support us by joining as a member for as little as $1.

Patricia Calhoun is editor-in-chief of Westword, the alt-weekly she co-founded in September 1977. She’s been inducted into the Colorado Press Association Hall of Fame, the Association of Alternative Newsmedia Hall of Fame and the Colorado Restaurant Association Hall of Fame. She’s also received dozens of local, state and national awards for writing, including first place for feature writing and first place for column writing with the Society of Professional Journalists. Patricia is a weekly commentator on Colorado Inside Out, PBS 12's public affairs roundtable, which has won two Emmys.

Contact: Patricia Calhoun

Follow:

Facebook: patricia.calhoun.927