FamilyMart socks have redefined Japanese convenience stores, become souvenirs for tourists

FamilyMart socks have redefined Japanese convenience stores, become souvenirs for tourists

Convenience stores, often referred to as konbini in Japan and offering a wide range of foods, have increasingly become a must-visit for tourists – but the experience is now extending beyond snacks to fun with fashion. Since it launched its Convenience Wear clothing brand in 2021, FamilyMart has seen its “Famima socks” explode in popularity, … Read more

Restaurant Review: A Brooklyn Gas Station with Serious Grub

Restaurant Review: A Brooklyn Gas Station with Serious Grub

The food at Blue Hour is made with high-quality ingredients and a considerable amount of care. The star of the show is undoubtedly the Cwunch Wap Supweme, with its spiced beef and assorted taco-ish fillings—diced tomato, iceberg lettuce, shredded cheese, homemade queso, sour cream—layered above and below a crisp tostada round, then wrapped up inside … Read more

LCBO employees will walk off job Friday, union says

LCBO employees will walk off job Friday, union says

Thousands of Ontario liquor store employees will walk off the job Friday after contract negotiations between the LCBO and its workers broke down, the workers’ union says. Representatives of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) blamed Premier Doug Ford’s government for the breakdown at a news conference Thursday evening, just hours before the midnight strike deadline … Read more

Alcohol sales coming to Ontario corner stores by September

Alcohol sales coming to Ontario corner stores by September

Ontario is introducing sales of beer, wine and ready-made cocktails into corner stores and additional supermarkets 16 months ahead of schedule, a move that will see the province pay up to $225 million to The Beer Store. Retailers, including convenience stores and gas stations, will be able to start selling the low-alcohol beverages as of Sept. … Read more

Deal to lower Visa, Mastercard processing fees will come up short for many retailers, critics say

Deal to lower Visa, Mastercard processing fees will come up short for many retailers, critics say

The federal government says it has hammered out the final details with Visa and Mastercard to lower credit card transaction fees for merchants, but small business advocates say the deal doesn’t go nearly far enough. The deal concerns what is called an interchange fee, also known as a “swipe fee,” which sets aside a percentage … Read more