SEOUL -- South Korea's E-Mart will close a discount store chain inspired by Japan's chaotic Don Quijote shops as it focuses on shoring up a big-box retail business battered by e-commerce.
The Pierrot Shopping chain, which debuted in 2018, struggled to gain name recognition among consumers, and rising rents in urban centers weighed on its profits. E-Mart shut the store in Seoul's Myeongdong shopping district, and the remaining six locations will follow within the year.
