Famima Closing at 8th & Figueroa, But Still Sold on Downtown
Ed Fuentes
Signs advertise 50% off deals at Famima's 8th and Figueroa location, which will be closing on Sunday.
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — Downtowners looking for discounts on Asian treats might want to stop by the 8th and Figueroa Famima, which is marking down most items as it prepares to close its doors on Sunday. The location was the Japanese convenience chain's first in Downtown, and it has since opened five more stores on Bunker Hill and in the Financial District.
The closure shouldn't be taken as a sign that the company is wavering on Downtown, said Famima USA Executive VP Pervez Pir.
"We wanted to get the critical mass" by opening so many stores in such a small area, said Pir, but in the 8th and Figueroa location the strategy "backfired a bit."
A store at 7th and Flower took away more business than the chain expected, and the 8th and Figueroa location's large size made it hard to keep profitable.
"If a store is hurting, we'd rather just scrap it and start again," said Pir.
And start again they will. The chain plans to open a new Downtown store in the next three months. While Pir declined to name an exact location before all the approvals were finalized, he did say that it will be targeted at transit users.
Famima USA is owned by the Family Mart Group, which operates 11,000 stores in Japan and East Asia.
Richard F on December 17, 2009, at 11:35AM – #1
I think they need a store in the South Park area. Maybe near LA Live or the Convention Center.
Ben on December 17, 2009, at 12:13PM – #2
S P R I N G S T R E E T (Residential Buildings Everywhere)
loveandhatela on December 17, 2009, at 12:20PM – #3
I second that motion^ Spring St is a great location.
I also think them having said "target at transit users" means to me..Koreatown :)
Jon on December 17, 2009, at 12:41PM – #4
That's a bummer. I would walk to 8th from Staples just to get food from there (rather than the LA Live restaurants). So here's a second for opening a location closer to / in South Park.
celia on December 17, 2009, at 12:52PM – #5
How about they put a big-ass Famima in the old Ed Hardy outlet space on Spring Street?
Ravi on December 17, 2009, at 01:33PM – #6
Ya - either Ed Hardy location on Spring Street or on Los Angeles Street (or is Ed Hardy still on LA St?) Also on Los Angeles Street is a vacant former Rite Aid that could use some resuscitation!
mojo on December 17, 2009, at 01:47PM – #7
Put it on Main where that new "Last Bookstore is LA" is located... what a crappy name, and the way-better Metropolis Books is just 50 yards down the block.
JM on December 17, 2009, at 02:01PM – #8
This was a bad location for a convenience store. It was never busy, even in the beginning. The other Famima stores are doing well. The one on Bunker Hill is now staying open until 2 a.m., which is great news.
Brian on December 17, 2009, at 02:02PM – #9
Big fan of Famima as they employees are constantly friendly and it's one of the few places downtown where the soda machines are working properly :)
The space closing is really big and I have to imagine expensive.
I think Spring Street is one of the next places to see good, sustained growth downtown.
The area around Market Lofts could use a Famima. I know the one they are losing isn't far away but there are some decent sized space available on Flower and Hope.
Scott on December 17, 2009, at 04:56PM – #10
I think the clue here is "targeted at transit users". If you look at past articles, Union Station keeps coming up.
http://laist.com/2009/03/02/famima_explosion.php
Put me in the South Park camp for the next one though.
Whitman Lam on December 17, 2009, at 05:21PM – #11
Hey, wasn't there a plan to bring a Famima store to Union Station ?? What happened ? I don't see a Famima store at Union station !!
Also, another good location for Famima ... Arts district on Traction. Maybe they can replace Bloom's General store and rent DVD's with a RedBox machine.
LAofAnaheim on December 17, 2009, at 06:11PM – #12
Maybe opening up four Famima's within a block of each other was not a smart idea....? C'mon..8th and Figueroa, 7th and Flower, Wilshire and Hope, and 6th and Hope. Even Starbucks doesn't do that! Don't you think that's a little excessive in "critical mass"? There's plenty more to downtown than the Financial District. I would love a Famima!! in the Concerto or 717 Olympic buildings for South Park.
peenee on December 17, 2009, at 11:50PM – #13
how about somewhere on broadway?
Whitman Lam on December 18, 2009, at 01:41AM – #14
You know, that sounds like a good idea. Broadway does have a ton of foot traffic. But Famima sells to more upscale, office type crowds. The food is quite good, but it's also more expensive than say a 7-Eleven.
Right now, Famima only works as a niche market, for pedestrian heavy downtown areas, and transit hubs with large lunchtime crowds.
What about Little Tokyo ? Famima is a Japanese chain store right ?
Matt Berman on December 18, 2009, at 03:22AM – #15
When in Rome.....Our lovely Japanese Friends don't quite yet understand the dynamics of Downtown Los Angeles..made obvious by their choice of multiple commuter locations bundled atop one another in the "commuter zone"
To those shouting "Over Here"....FYI, a Fifth AND Spring Location reportedly had been considered but was rejected by corporate "Bobbleheads" citing 5th & Spring won't be ready for a Famima for another 5 years.
Since everything happens in downtown Los Angeles at breakneck speed, perhaps Pervez should take a walk over to Bolt Barbers sometime before midnight for a shear, shave, or shine...and see exactly what is being missed by not locating there.
Mohawk Matt. Founder & Chief Barber, boltbarbers.com
ted on December 18, 2009, at 08:11AM – #16
It needs to be in South Park. Makes the most sense. It would get huge business from FIDM, LA Live and the surrounding residential buildings.
Unlike the Historic Core, South Park doesn't have any little convenience markets.
HWOODHUNK on December 18, 2009, at 09:13AM – #17
Do you think 7-Eleven should take over the space?
Downtown Worker on December 18, 2009, at 09:44AM – #18
I hate the cramped 7th street location. Famima should not be a 7-Eleven. It was meant to be an upscale convenience service oriented store. I remember reading women liked Famima more than the usual convienence store. The 8th & Fig was an ideal design to sit and enjoy lunch or dessert. Its too bad the expansion took a direction that made it just another 7-eleven with sushi.
Downtown Worker on December 18, 2009, at 09:47AM – #19
One more thing. Anyone notice the irony of the Notice of Public Hearing for a liquor license next to the store closing 50% off sign?
Vero Queero on December 18, 2009, at 03:32PM – #20
One vote for City West, we are oft neglected. We have plenty of unleased retail space, empty since we opened in Feb 2007. Not a lot of commuter though--MTA 20 & 487, Dash A & E. But we do have Good Samaritan, and they tend to forget besides Vero, there's 1100 Wilshire, Glo, 1010 Wilshire, Piero and Medici. I'm sure the next ones will go to Union Station, Historic Core/Gallery Row and South Park.
peenee on December 19, 2009, at 11:48PM – #21
i used to like famima when it first opened but than they slowly shift their product from mostly unique/ upscale japanese products to now less than 50 percent japanese and just things you can find in any supermarkets.
i no longer shop there because why would i pay 30percent more for something i can just get at whole food, or vons just a few blocks away.