19 Mar
2004
19 Mar
'04
8:47 a.m.
On Friday 19 March 2004 21:59, John Allain wrote:
From a Japanese source:
"One category of business that really took off over the past decade is
the "recycle shop," Japanese parlance for a shop that buys stuff that
people don't need anymore, cleans it up, and sells it for a profit.
Everything from rice cookers to washing machines to skis to console
games are bought and sold in Japan's new retail underground. The most
successful of these is BookOff, a chain of used book stores that has 700
locations in Japan. BookOff has been expanding into other areas too,
with ToyOff (they sell "almost new" children's toys) and HouseOff (used
goods for your home), PetOff (used things for your pet), and the very
oddly named HardOff (used computer hardware and electronics)."
Er wow, they've discovered second-hand shops, with a bit of specialisation.
alex/melt