MATSUDO, Japan -- Company executives hailed the opening of the oversized 7-Eleven shop near a commuter train station in this northeastern Tokyo suburb last year as heralding a brighter, more profitable future for the world's largest convenience store chain.
More like a small supermarket in its offerings and size than a traditional 7-Eleven, the concept store features shelves of fresh meat, fish and vegetables, glass-fronted oven cases of bread and bulk snack dispensers. Staff fill cones with soft-serve ice cream and bake pizzas on request.
