Famima!! Dies in LA

Those convenient Japanese style convenience marts known as Famima!! will be dying off this month in LA, closing all their seven remaining locations. An off-shoot of Family Mart, many might have seen if into Japanese culture and anime, it attempted to take part of the convenience market in the US, but sadly seems to have failed after ten years of trying to make it here in the LA region.

That's not to say Japanese markets are dying in SoCal as a new Japanese market just opened in Torrance. Famimas had little in common to connect to their Japanese counterparts other than a very nice look to the stores with helpful signage. Their service or style was no where as nice, they did offer a few differences in tastes, yet nothing to truly compete with 7 Eleven.

Here's an older article reviewing a Famima in Culver City, back five years. It looks like even in 2010 plans had been scaled back for the stores.

We will miss them, they tried to bring the Japanese style of convenient mart to America, but lacked the principals of friendly customer service, good locations and lacked a worthwhile connection to Japanese products.