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STANTON, CALIF. - Japanese "car life" retailer Autobacs opened its first U.S. store in Southern California last week, marking its entry into North America. The chain plans to use the 35,000-square-foot store to test the waters for a larger role in the United States that could reach up to 200 stores.
Autobacs' top executives from Japan were at the Aug. 28 opening of its Stanton, Calif., store to witness its entry into the U.S. market, something they said was a "dream come true" for the company's founder. Autobacs opened its first store in Osaka, Japan in 1974 and now has 542 outlets in Japan and four other countries.
"This store is small considering the size of the U.S. market, but it represents a giant step for our company," said Koichi Sumino, president and ceo of Autobacs Japan. "We have a simple concept and that is to create a utopia for car enthusiasts."
Sumino said Autobacs is designed to serve the needs of average drivers who consider their cars a means of getting from one place to another and others who regard them as "not just a means of transportation but as a means to express themselves."
When asked about future expansion plans, Sumino said the company...