19 Mar
2004
19 Mar
'04
7:59 a.m.
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)."
I'm not making this up...
John A.