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The freakiest thing to me is the Lawsons. This was a tiny little convenience store chain that existed in a few counties near Cleveland, OH. It went out of busin

The freakiest thing to me is the Lawsons. This was a tiny little convenience store chain that existed in a few counties near Cleveland, OH. It went out of business around 1980, but through some baffling chain of events managed to migrate to Japan where they seem to be only slightly less common than 7/11s.

wahnfrieden 2y ago
Mister Donut also started in the US. Tower Records also lives on in Japan.
- gcanyon 2y ago
  Shoutout for Mister Donut in Thailand! Lived there two years and ate Mister Donut often -- I had no idea it started in the US.
- deleted 2y ago
  [deleted]
- mitthrowaway2 2y ago
  And Yahoo search!
- kkylin 2y ago
  We were happily surprised to find Tower Records in Tokyo! It was great.
rwmj 2y ago
Lawson's also big in China now.
kalleboo 2y ago
7-Eleven Japan also got so big that they bought out 7-Eleven USA. But now the Canadian owner of Circle K is bidding to buy 7-Eleven Japan so I guess it's the circle of corporate life.
- chasd00 2y ago
  My son went on a school trip to Japan last year. Of all the amazing things he must have seen the 7-Elevens are what he talked about the most haha.
  - neuronic 2y ago
    7-11 trips at any given time of the day are one of my most precious Japan memories from my 3 week trip. I cannot even explain why, maybe it it the Nintendo-like jiggles and atmosphere of comfort. We have similar markets where I am from any I know 24/7 chains from around the planet and it isn't really what this is about. The products are not super special either ... still it eminates magic for me and when I went to Taiwan a few years later I was EAGER to enter a Japan-style 7-11.
- lleb97a 2y ago
  They bought 7-Eleven Australia, too.
biztos 2y ago
Lawson is big in Thailand, but I only see them at the BTS Sky Train stations. Well, I might have seen one in a mall but I'm not 100% sure, also in an airport. Interesting to hear they're from Ohio. Their logo is incongruousy milk-just-like. Here's their Insta, it seems to be their main online presence: https://www.instagram.com/lawson108thailand/ https://www.instagram.com/lawson108thailand/
- niij 2y ago
  I wouldn't say they're big in Thailand. Especially compared to the ever present 7/11.
renewedrebecca 2y ago
Their old buildings are still all around here, but now holding karate studios or vape shops.
deleted 2y ago
[deleted]
bloomingeek 2y ago
My wife and I enjoyed Tokyo for ten days in October of 2023. After a long day of site seeing, we would stop in at a Lawsons for a variety of snacks to eat while we rested up for the next day. The store was always clean and the small meals were very tasty. (not related to Lawsons: we discovered the "joy" of a bidet in our hotel room. Upon returning home we immediately ordered a Toto.)
- cruffle_duffle 2y ago
  > we discovered the "joy" of a bidet in our hotel room. Upon returning home we immediately ordered a Toto I’m pretty sure this story is replicated by anybody who visits Japan. Once you use a bidet you can’t go back.
  - yibg 2y ago
    I just wish installing one in North America was a bit easier. Need access to power (usually no outlets near the toilet) and water (requires some minor plumbing work).
    - pstuart 2y ago
      There are cheap versions that don't require power and tap into existing plumbing. Obviously not the deluxe Toto experience but still worthy of consideration.
      - brewdad 2y ago
        I have 3 toilets in my house. One I was able to tap into the power supply at the light switch and install on outlet for a fancy Toto model. My other two bathrooms would require opening up walls and running new wiring through many studs in order to add a power outlet, so they get the cheap cold water models.
    - gambiting 2y ago
      What do you need power for? Bidets are relatively popular in Poland and they are just taps for warm water that you can direct wherever with a convenient basin. Not sure what you need the gadgetry for. And yes, bidet is an absolutely essential thing to have in a bathroom.

wahnfrieden 2y ago

Mister Donut also started in the US. Tower Records also lives on in Japan.

gcanyon 2y ago
Shoutout for Mister Donut in Thailand! Lived there two years and ate Mister Donut often -- I had no idea it started in the US.
deleted 2y ago
[deleted]
mitthrowaway2 2y ago
And Yahoo search!
kkylin 2y ago
We were happily surprised to find Tower Records in Tokyo! It was great.

rwmj 2y ago

Lawson's also big in China now.

kalleboo 2y ago

7-Eleven Japan also got so big that they bought out 7-Eleven USA. But now the Canadian owner of Circle K is bidding to buy 7-Eleven Japan so I guess it's the circle of corporate life.

chasd00 2y ago
My son went on a school trip to Japan last year. Of all the amazing things he must have seen the 7-Elevens are what he talked about the most haha.
- neuronic 2y ago
  7-11 trips at any given time of the day are one of my most precious Japan memories from my 3 week trip. I cannot even explain why, maybe it it the Nintendo-like jiggles and atmosphere of comfort. We have similar markets where I am from any I know 24/7 chains from around the planet and it isn't really what this is about. The products are not super special either ... still it eminates magic for me and when I went to Taiwan a few years later I was EAGER to enter a Japan-style 7-11.
lleb97a 2y ago
They bought 7-Eleven Australia, too.

biztos 2y ago

Lawson is big in Thailand, but I only see them at the BTS Sky Train stations. Well, I might have seen one in a mall but I'm not 100% sure, also in an airport. Interesting to hear they're from Ohio. Their logo is incongruousy milk-just-like. Here's their Insta, it seems to be their main online presence: https://www.instagram.com/lawson108thailand/ https://www.instagram.com/lawson108thailand/

niij 2y ago
I wouldn't say they're big in Thailand. Especially compared to the ever present 7/11.

renewedrebecca 2y ago

Their old buildings are still all around here, but now holding karate studios or vape shops.

deleted 2y ago

[deleted]

bloomingeek 2y ago

My wife and I enjoyed Tokyo for ten days in October of 2023. After a long day of site seeing, we would stop in at a Lawsons for a variety of snacks to eat while we rested up for the next day. The store was always clean and the small meals were very tasty. (not related to Lawsons: we discovered the "joy" of a bidet in our hotel room. Upon returning home we immediately ordered a Toto.)

cruffle_duffle 2y ago
> we discovered the "joy" of a bidet in our hotel room. Upon returning home we immediately ordered a Toto I’m pretty sure this story is replicated by anybody who visits Japan. Once you use a bidet you can’t go back.
- yibg 2y ago
  I just wish installing one in North America was a bit easier. Need access to power (usually no outlets near the toilet) and water (requires some minor plumbing work).
  - pstuart 2y ago
    There are cheap versions that don't require power and tap into existing plumbing. Obviously not the deluxe Toto experience but still worthy of consideration.
    - brewdad 2y ago
      I have 3 toilets in my house. One I was able to tap into the power supply at the light switch and install on outlet for a fancy Toto model. My other two bathrooms would require opening up walls and running new wiring through many studs in order to add a power outlet, so they get the cheap cold water models.
  - gambiting 2y ago
    What do you need power for? Bidets are relatively popular in Poland and they are just taps for warm water that you can direct wherever with a convenient basin. Not sure what you need the gadgetry for. And yes, bidet is an absolutely essential thing to have in a bathroom.