JUSCO

JUSCO (ジャスコ, Jasuko) is the acronym for Japan United Stores Company, a chain of "general merchandise stores" (or hypermarket) and the largest of its type in Japan. The various JUSCO companies are subsidiaries of ÆON Co., Ltd..

The JUSCO name was adopted in 1970 by a company originally founded as a kimono silk trader in 1758. Renamed ÆON in 1989, it operates stores throughout Japan under JUSCO and other names and also has a presence in Malaysia, Hong Kong, mainland China (永旺 Yǒng wàng), and Thailand.^[1]

As of March 1, 2011, all JUSCO and SATY stores under the Aeon umbrella in Japan officially changed their names to AEON while all the JUSCO stores and shopping centres in Malaysia are fully re-branded into AEON since March 2012. The Hong Kong and Mainland China subsidiaries have officially changed their name to AEON on 1 March 2013.

History

In the 1970s, JUSCO was constituted by Mie Prefecture, Kyoto and Hyogo in Japan named Japan United Stores COmpany. (Shortened form JUSCO). After that, it experienced rapid development. Currently there are about 300 stores in Japan itself and still counting. The group was renamed Aeon in 1990, but its retail stores are still using the old name JUSCO. In late 2010 AEON announced that all existing JUSCO stores in Japan will gradually renamed AEON. The re-branding exercise began in March 2011 and was complete by the end of that year.

International ventures

Malaysia

Southeast Asia's largest Jusco store, the ÆON Bukit Tinggi Shopping Centre in Bandar Bukit Tinggi, Klang, Malaysia.

In 1985 the first JUSCO store outside Japan was opened in Plaza Dayabumi, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia,^[2][3] as a jointly-owned company with Cold Storage and three local companies, known as Jaya Jusco. It was the first time that a Japanese company had entered into a significant joint venture in the Malaysian retail industry. JUSCO assumed total operational control of the chain in 1988. Currently. there are 20 AEON (formerly known as JUSCO) Retails stores and shopping centres are in operation in Malaysia.

The oldest (though not the first) JUSCO store in Malaysia is JUSCO Taman Maluri in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur. It opened on 30 October 1989.

JUSCO Taman Maluri was opened on 30 October 1989

The AEON Bukit Tinggi Shopping Centre in Bandar Bukit Tinggi, Klang, Selangor, Malaysia is the largest JUSCO in Malaysia and Southeast Asia with over 2,100,000 square feet (200,000 m²) of built-up area and 5,000 car park bays. Currently the latest AEON shopping centre in Malaysia is in Kulaijaya, Johor.^[4]

JUSCO in Malaysia is notable for being among the first general merchandise chains to introduce biodegradable poly bags made from sweet potatoes.

In March 2012, all the JUSCO stores and shopping centres in Malaysia are re-branded into AEON Retails stores and shopping centres, following the decision of AEON in Japan.

Hong Kong

A JUSCO store in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong JUSCO are subsidiaries by AEON Hong Kong Company.^[5] The Hong Kong subsidiary was established in November 1987. (was named JUSCO Department Store Co., Ltd.). The first JUSCO in Hong Kong was established in December, 1987 in Kornhill (another name for this store is Quarry Bay Main and Flagship store) and was listed in Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited on 4 February 1994 with the stock code 984.

Hong Kong JUSCO mainly manages shopping malls and other retail shops such as supermarkets, discount shops, home places, convenience stores and department stores. Since the end of 2006, the AEON company has fully abandoned the Chinese name only using the English name "JUSCO". They offer cheap and convenient daily necessities to customers. These items are food, clothes, household items and electrical appliances. AEON stores aimed at the development of Hong Kong, striving to provide the goods that worth for money to local customers.

As of March 2013, there are eight AEON General Merchandise Stores (GMS) in Hong Kong, seven branches of AEON Supermarkets, 22 branches of Living Plaza by AEON, 4 branches of BENTO EXPRESS by AEON, and only one branch of AEON MaxValu Prime, which is located at The One, Tsim Sha Tsui.

Taiwan

Taiwan JUSCO are subsidiaries of Taiwan AEON Stores Co., Ltd. The first JUSCO was in Windance in Hsinchu City. It was operated in 2003. The second JUSCO was operated in December 2005 at New Taipei city global mall.

China

A JUSCO store in Shenzhen, China.

In China, JUSCO uses AEON and JUSCO for its name. From 1996, AEON Co., Ltd created many shopping mall named JUSCO. In Shanghai, there was a JUSCO before, but it divested finance finally because of poor management. In Guangdong, Guangdong JUSCO Co., Ltd used the name "JUSCO" to operate the first JUSCO at 1996. Now, there are thirteen shops in Guangdong. Otherwise, AEON also operated large shopping mall in Beijing and Shunde. It also planned to expand to North China.

Other countries

The largest JUSCO (also the largest single-building shopping center in Japan) opened in 2005 in Mito.

All except 2 JUSCOs, Srinakarin Rd and Sukhumvit Soi 71, have been closed down in Bangkok, Thailand. ÆON Co., Ltd. is re-expanding there under the MaxValu name instead.

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to JUSCO.

• ÆON Co., Ltd
• ÆON China Co., Ltd
• ÆON Stores (Hong Kong) Co.
• AEON Retail Malaysia Facebook Page
• AEON CO.(M) BHD
• Guandong Jusco Tianmao, China
• ÆON Jusco, Qingdao, China