[jounker]

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.

[kalleboo]

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]

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.

[lleb97a]

They bought 7-Eleven Australia, too.

[biztos]

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/

[niij]

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

[wahnfrieden]

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

[gcanyon]

Shoutout for Mister Donut in Thailand! Lived there two years and ate Mister Donut often -- I had no idea it started in the US.

[kkylin]

We were happily surprised to find Tower Records in Tokyo! It was great.

[mitthrowaway2]

And Yahoo search!

[rwmj]

Lawson's also big in China now.

[bloomingeek]

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]

> 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.

[renewedrebecca]

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