My Report "Convenience Stores in America and Japan"

1. Introduction　
Convenience stores were born in 1927 in Texas (Convenience store, Wikipedia, 2008 online). Electric refrigerators were not yet common in most households then, so ice in the refrigerator was very important. There was a small ice store, which satisfied the desires of customers. This was the beginning of convenience stores. There are many differences between Minnesota and Japan’s convenience store. It compare the each goods and systems. American convenience stores are not more prosperous than Japanese one because American convenience store’s services are not fuller than Japanese one. And there are not many convenience stores around the America. But American grocery stores have advanced services and full goods.

2. In Kumamoto 　
There are a lot of convenience stores in Japan, and they are necessary for us. They are very convenient, for three reasons. First, we can come into the store easily, and they are more common than grocery stores in Japan. Second, the stores have a good selection. We are able to always buy whatever we need. Third, they are very delicious, and there are a lot of kinds of food.
For example, there are many kinds of box lunches, bread, rice balls, sandwiches, frozen foods, instant noodles and counter foods. Counter foods are near the counter. There is fried chicken, corndogs, frankfurters and so on in cases. There is “Nikuman” and “Oden” in winter. They are very delicious. When we go to the counter, we tell a clerk what we want. Also there are pots near the counter because when we buy instant noodles, so we can make them. The clerk also warms these foods in the microwave oven. Some convenience stores have a bread kitchen too where, we can buy a lot of fresh-baked breads. These are very delicious. There are ice-cream cones too. When we go to counter, we can order them. The clerk makes them right away by ice-cream cone machine.
Moreover, we can also send something by home delivery service from convenience stores. When we go to a convenience store, we give the clerk something we want to send, and there is a mailbox in there. We can also reserve tickets and buy the tickets. For example, there are concert and live performance tickets.
In Japanese convenience stores, there are different atmospheres according to the four seasons. There are seasonal foods and desserts. For example, in spring, there are cherry rice cakes and bamboo shoot rice and so on. In winter, there are Christmas cakes and hot cocoa and so on. There are a lot of chocolates, cookies and candies in Saint Valentine’s day or White day seasons. The sweets are decorated by cute wrapper and ribbon. Japanese convenience stores are very convenient and necessary for our life.

3. In the US
In Minnesota, most convenience stores are set up as an annex to gasoline stations. American people do not use convenience stores very much. Instead they often use grocery stores. There are three reasons. First, grocery stores are cheaper than convenience stores. Grocery stores are very cheap. For example, in convenience stores, one Pringles is $2.99 and one Chex Mix is $3.69. However, in Target, one Pringles is $1.42 and one Chex Mix is $2.24. Second, grocery stores have a better selection than convenience stores. Third, grocery stores are easier to go in than convenience stores. The main goods in Minnesota convenience stores are hamburgers, hot dogs, doughnuts, beer and cigarettes, and they also sell public lottery tickets. Surprisingly, they also sell wood. There is wood outside.
In the store, there are some machines and cases. There are soft drink machines, coffee machines, shake drink machines and frozen drink machines. Customers set a paper cup and choose their drink and push a button, and they set the cover and straw. It is interesting. There are also doughnut cases. There are a lot of kinds of doughnuts. Some small doughnuts are in cups that people can put on a drink stand in their own car.
On the other hand, there were no rice balls and box lunches and so on, but there were a lot of hamburgers and sandwiches. They looked delicious. There are salads and yoghurt too. There are microwave ovens near them to heat foods. Maybe they heat hamburgers and sandwiches and so on in them.
Of course there are a lot of snacks and candies. There are many kinds of potato chips. In the frozen foods, section, there is a lot of ice cream and some big frozen pizzas and so on. In drink refrigerators, there are a lot of drinks, especially a lot of pop drinks. Of course, there are other goods besides foods, for example, car batteries and water and so on. There are not such items in Japanese convenience stores, because there are American convenience stores next gasoline stations. There are also some sunglasses, stationery, medicine and cards. There are a lot of cards in America. For example, there are birthday cards. These are very cute and warm. At the check out counter, there are cookies that are colorful and these look delicious. There are also some cigarettes near the counter.

4. Conclusion　
There are many similar parts and different parts between American convenience stores and Japanese one.
In Japan, a clerk heats breads, rice balls and box lunches and so on when we go to a counter to check out. But in America, we heat foods ourselves. And there are convenience stores next gasoline stations, so there are many car goods.
American people do not use convenience stores very much. Instead, they often use grocery stores because grocery stores have cheap goods and good selection. Japanese people often use convenience stores because Japanese convenience stores full many services. So they are very convenient.
But both American convenience stores and Japanese one have convenience, importance, simple style and good services.
Now, there are a lot of convenience stores all over the world. These are necessary for our life. These are going to become even more important for us in the future.

5. Bibliography
Convenience store. (2008, December 15). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 05:30, December 16, 2008, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Convenience_store&oldid=258054615 (1001words)