5.Large department stores, Sears and Roebuck and Bloomingdale's, the big mid-20th century institutions that were basically how the average consumer encountered product, experienced product.
7.Founded by Yasuda in 1978 as a Tokyo variety store called Thieves Market, the chain had never made a serious effort to expand outside Japan-where it has about 300 locations-until two years ago.
8.That's a good sign for the U.S. economy, but the store closings we've told you about in recent years, from reductions in Sears and Macy's stores, to the bankruptcy of Toys " R" Us, are not good signs.