Sogo

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Sogo Kobe Department Store

Sogo Co., Ltd. (Japanese: 株式会社そごう; Traditional Chinese: 崇光百貨有限公司) is a department store chain that operates an extensive network of branches in Japan. It once owned stores in locations as diverse as Beijing, Hong Kong, London, Taiwan, Kuala Lumpur, and Bangkok, but most of these international branches are now operated by independent franchises.

1 History
2 China
3 Taiwan
4 Indonesia
5 Sogo Gallery
6 See also
7 External links

[edit] History

Sogo Hachioji Department Store, Hachioji, Tokyo

Sogo was founded in 1830 in Osaka by Ihei Sogo as a retailer of used kimono. The company has recently faced financial troubles. Sogo applied to Osaka District Court under the Civil Rehabilitation Law on July 12, 2000. The chain has had to divest itself of unprofitable business lines including several stores in Japan (eg. Kokura and Kurosaki) and some overseas stores (including in Singapore). Other overseas Sogo stores survived under independent franchises, through which the Japanese company has also managed to raise capital. In Japan, Sogo is now a subsidiary of Millennium Retailing. Sogo is a kind of hotel in the Philippines.

[edit] China

Sogo Hong Kong Co. Ltd, the Sogo franchisee in Hong Kong operates two stores, one in Causeway Bay and one in Tsim Sha Tsui. The Tsim Sha Tsui branch opened on September 30, 2005, marking the 25th anniversary of Sogo in Hong Kong. Causeway Bay store (also known as Jumbo Sogo) opens in 1985 and carries items in all product categories within a 15 storey building. It recently open the Sogo Club and Sogo Book club as well as a new annex building named Beaute by Sogo. The Tsim Sha Tsui branch focuses on designer fashions.

Sogo also has two main stores in Beijing. The Sogo located in Beijing's southern district is one of the largest and most prestigious department stores in the city.

[edit] Taiwan

In Taiwan, Pacific Sogo operates six stores: three in Taipei, and one each in Chungli, Hsinchu, and Kaohsiung, the latest being at Taipei 101, currently the world's tallest building. Pacific Sogo has recently found itself in the midst of a corruption scandal over gift certificates involving the family of ROC President Chen Shui-Bian.

[edit] Indonesia

Targeting the upper class market, Sogo department store in Indonesia operates under PT. Mitra Adiperkasa Tbk. and is currently the largest Sogo franchise with a total of eight department stores. All stores are located at high-end shopping malls in Plaza Indonesia, Plaza Senayan, Pondok Indah Mall 2 and Mall Kelapa Gading 3 in Jakarta; Tunjungan Plaza 4 in Surabaya; Bali Collection in Bali; Sun Plaza in Medan; and Paris van Java in Bandung. The largest being at Plaza Senayan whie the smallest is at Bali Collection. All stores feature a full-scale international Sogo Supermarket except in Bali Collection. The company introduces a new supermarket concept store named Sogo The Food Hall. The new concpet store first open opened in conjunction with the opening of Pontok Indah Mall 2 flagship store in 2005 and followed by the opening of Sogo The Food Hall in Senayan City as part of Debenhams department store in 2006. Most Sogo department store in Indonesia also houses Books Kinokuniya, Starbucks Coffee and Kidz Station. The company will soon houses Seibu, another department store of Millenium Retailing Group, projected to be the most premiere department store in Indonesia, across the road from Sogo Plaza Indonesia at Grand Indonesia, the largest shopping mall in South East Asia when it opens its doors in the middle of 2007.

[edit] Sogo Gallery

SOGO-Shinsaibashi 1, Osaka	SOGO-Shinsaibashi 2, Osaka	SOGO-Causeway Bay, Hong Kong	SOGO-Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
SOGO-Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong	The former Sogo in Kokura, now Isetan