THE konbini (abbreviation of convenience store in English) have become indispensable in daily life in Japan. Celebrating the 50th this yeare anniversary of the inauguration of their first mini-market in the Archipelago, they have gone from simple retail businesses to stores offering a wide variety of services.
It was on May 15, 1974 that the first Seven Eleven opened in the Toyosu district of Tokyo. As its name suggests, the store was open at the time from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., a real commercial revolution at that time.
Half a century has passed. Since the konbini have not only expanded their network, they have also developed original products, and you can now buy ready-made products like rice balls at any time at reasonable prices onigirisandwiches and salads or even enjoy a fresh ground coffee.
And these convenience stores are not limited to selling products. They have become an essential infrastructure of daily life by making various services, accessible 24 hours a day, available to their customers who can pay their utility bills and taxes, receive show tickets, send documents. or parcels by home delivery service and use automated teller machines, among others.
By the end of February 2024, Seven Eleven’s number had increased to 21,533 stores, with an overall turnover of 5,345.2 billion yen (31.5 billion euros).
Chronology of konbini Seven Eleven
1974
The first Seven Eleven store opens in Toyosu district as a new type of retail store open from early morning until late evening.
1975
A store open 24 hours a day is experimentally inaugurated in Kôriyama, in Fukushima prefecture.
1978
Sale of onigiri in a plastic film torn just before tasting to preserve the algae nori very crunchy.
1987
Implementation of a system based on sales data, allowing orders to be placed closely linked to customer needs.
Start of receiving electricity rates from Tepco. The services then extend to the payment of gas, telephone and water bills.
1996
Installation of color photocopiers.
2001
Elimination of preservatives and colorings in meal boxes bento and savory and sweet breads.
Installation of automatic teller machines in urban stores.
2010
Start of the service for issuing civil status forms and certificates of legal validity of the seal by multicopier.
2013
Start of Seven Café offering fresh ground coffee by the cup.
2019
Opening of stores in Okinawa, covering all prefectures in Japan.
(Title photo: Stanislav Kogiku/SOPA Images via ZUMA Wire/Kyodo Images)
