LIHU‘E — Mindy Hibbitt’s answer to Black Friday is a new kiosk which was unveiled Wednesday at the Kukui Grove Center. “There is no age limit on toys, and we have toys you won’t find in the big department stores,”
LIHU‘E — Mindy Hibbitt’s answer to Black Friday is a new kiosk which was unveiled Wednesday at the Kukui Grove Center.
“There is no age limit on toys, and we have toys you won’t find in the big department stores,” Hibbitt said, Friday while watching a steady stream of customers pause and browse through the offerings which range from erasers to the high tech 20Q game which works with a cell phone. “I’m not here to compete with the big stores. We’re finding those toys you can’t find there.”
Hibbitt said the new kiosk joins the cell phone accessories and kendama kiosks and is not just for the holidays.
“I signed a three-month lease and we plan to keep it for as long as it sustains itself,” she said. “I also have the Ugly Doll line coming in hopefully by Wednesday. It’s the ugliest, cutest things you ever saw.”
She said she joined some of the other merchants in opening early for Black Friday shoppers, but that didn’t work as well as having the new toys.
“I came in at 5:30 a.m. and there weren’t any people,” Hibbitt said. “By 7:30 a.m., I was getting worried, but by 8:30 the people started coming (and buying).”
She said among the new toys are the Kikbo, an electronic game which drew a comment from a passing visitor about being able to find it on Kaua‘i, the gravity ball, Magic Fushigi, the Emazing light gloves, poi balls and Orbitz, and the 20Q game which she claims “can read your mind” when worked with a cell phone.
Another cell phone game is the Codigo Cube which interacts with an iPhone.
“One of the cutest things is the sumo banks,” Hibbitt said. “We even have kendama erasers which the supplier said is all that will be available through the holidays. He can’t get anymore until after the holidays. And you know how easy it is to buy erasers? They’re small, cute and don’t cost much.”
Hibbitt, who earlier in October launched a kendama kiosk, said she plans to add a sunglasses kiosk in time for the holidays as well, all of her kiosks following the Kukui Grove Center holiday hours.