It's well past 11 p.m., but you wouldn't know it from the scene at the Don Quijote discount store in northern Tokyo. Young couples examine badminton sets, toothbrushes, TVs, Christmas decorations, Dior lipsticks and rice crackers, all stacked along narrow corridors. He comes here every other week with his buddies and spends a couple of hours, sometimes just to look around. No other shops are open at this time selling so many things at such low prices. Something revolutionary is happening in the stodgy world of Japanese retailing.
Stores offering a combination of low prices and fun are now among the hottest shopping destinations.
And it couldn't be happening at a better time. With the economy still on the mend and another large company announcing layoffs every week, traditional retailers are struggling. Anger in Aceh Prime Minister Mahathir catches Malaysia off guard by calling a general election. The surprise victors are upstarts, like his company, that are willing to challenge the status quo. Mainly by taking advantage of Japan's idle factories with backlogs of inventory.