Chiikawa fans and scalpers race for plushies at Tsim Sha Tsui pop-up store

While fans flocked to the Tsim Sha Tsui pop-up store for limited edition Chiikawa products following last night's massive queue, several scalpers were spotted lurking in the crowd despite the real-name registration system.

As the second phase of the sale for the 21 classic Chiikawa products began at 11am today (Apr 15), police officers were on standby at the spot to monitor the situation.

According to the report by Sing Tao Daily, a sister publication of The Standard, two young girls at the front of the line revealed they were tired after waiting 24 hours for their coveted items.

Another attendee with her pre-registered ticket arrived early to purchase the highly sought-after "Daruma Series" plush dolls, after witnessing a chaotic queue last night.

Wong, who also successfully secured a pre-registered ticket, expressed gratitude for obtaining a set of three Daruma Series dolls. Despite missing out on the initial sales, he praised today's experience as smooth.

Regarding the organizers' decision to allow early queuing yesterday, Wong expressed understanding, believing the organizer had tried their best.

Another customer, Fan, mentioned that aside from the limited edition version, plenty of products were available since the purchase was capped at one per person.

She commended the orderly entrance process, disclosing that she spent approximately HK$1,200 on her favorite goods and set a date for the next sale to purchase more classic figures.

After some attendees bought their dolls, a man suspected to be the head of the scalpers approached the exit of the venue to collect receipts and stash the dolls away. 

Several individuals with bags full of dolls were seen using a mobile app to negotiate prices, while others seemed to negotiate on the spot.

Meanwhile, popular dolls, including the Daruma Series, were listed for sale between HK$290 and HK$450 on Xiaohongshu, costing as much as buying four dolls at the official pop-up store.

The pop-up store is set to operate until April 27, from 11am to 9pm.