How a Small, Extinct Ohio Convenience Store Became a Japanese Giant
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- Опубліковано 21 сер 2024
- In this video I cover the birth of Lawson, a small dairy convenience store from Ohio. I walk you through its rise and expansion across the USA to its eventual decline due to declining sales, controversy and failure to modernize. Meanwhile, across the world, Lawson in Japan would grow massively. Becoming famous in the country for its ability to meet an ever-changing Japanese lifestyle. Learn how a dairy store from po-dunk Ohio became the 3rd largest convenience chain in Japan with my latest business history video-essay!
#japan #lawson #historyof
Music: Bensound.com
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I worked at the Cuyahoga Falls Lawson plant for 27 years and I have a few observations about your video, which I enjoyed. Jim Lawson’s original plant was in Akron on Home Avenue and had home delivered milk, like other dairies at the time. During the depression, many people came to the plant with their own containers to purchase milk at a discount. JJ accommodated them and got the idea of convenience stores. It went over big time! Took over a rubber factory in Cuyahoga Falls and purchased milk directly, eliminating the co-op. The farmer got more for his milk and Lawson’s got it cheaper. I think you overstated the connection between Japanese Lawson’s and Ohio. I believe that the only relationship was the Japanese company essentially purchased a marketing strategy. Neither company had any further involvement with each other. One thing I observe is that Japan used the older logo and font, while CF upgraded theirs. Sara Lee was a division of CF, as was Lawson’s. For a period of time, Lawson was the largest profit center of Consolidated Foods (CF), even though it was a regional company, unlike several CF units. Also, Lawson’s was the biggest buyer of fresh squeezed orange juice - the Big O. More than Minute Maid! The Chip Dip is only available in Circle K’s serviced by Bordens of Ohio in Cleveland. After Lawson shut down in the Dairy Mart days, I did technical service works in dairies and I discovered those of equal volume that made chip dip produced 400 gallons a week on average. In its Lawson/Dairy Mart operation, 3800 gallons were produced in a week. More when it was on sale! No where near that today since it is only sold in the Cleveland area.
Hard to beat the insider knowledge. Thanks for your comment. Really cool to hear from someone who lived it. From what I remember, yeah, it was largely a marketing buyout but they did carry some of the classic recipes.
Dayton Ohio Lawsons! In the 1970s, Dad pulling that Country Squire in to Lawsons so mom could run in and “pick up a few things” - remember the jingle - one man sleeps while another man drives on the nonstop Lawsons run 🎶🎶🎶 bringing that orange juice from Florida to Ohio 🤣🤣
I grew up in Cleveland, Ohio with Lawson as a main go to, within walking distance. The 'Roll on Big-O' commercial was quite a presentation as far as TV commercials. I wish we still had them around.
I remember being 5 -6 and the ..Roll On Big O.. get the juice up to Lawsons in 40 hours .. Most important job on earth with the two guys driving the rig.. cause one man sleeps while the other man drives .. They are on the nonstop Lawsons run.. :) ua-cam.com/video/HtlPZIr_f7I/v-deo.html
good video. I've wondered about Lawson's on my visits to Japan and thought it curious to have such a prominent American store there. That and Tully's. I swear I saw more Tully's than Starbucks in Japan too.
I am so glad this showed up on suggested 10/10
Lawsoan is also expanding fast here in philippines
Cool video! I wonder how many Japanese people see the name of the store and think "That doesn't sound very japanese, sounds quite American"
My Japanese friend was sure Lawson was from Japan, inspired me to make this lol
I grew up west of Cleveland, near Sandusky, Ohio. Lawsons was a Friday night treat with friends. Their famous chipped ham for sandwiches and a large bag of chips with 1 or 2 tubs of chip dip. By far the best chip dip I’ve ever had. We live in Houston and saw we had a local Circle K. Stopped in yesterday. No chipped ham or chip dip. 💔
It was chip chop ham :) the ham was so thinly sliced and melted in your mouth
Fascinating video. One of the most amazing and bizarre business stories ever. From small convenience store chain in Northeast Ohio to a division of $100 Billion/year Mitsubishi.
Yeah! I had no idea it was something special until I was over there with a friend from Ohio who was like wtf?
So interesting! Now I like Lawson even more, despite being a Family Mart fan lol.
What I also find interesting is how there used to be a Circle-K convenience store in Japan, which was recently bought by and integrated into Family Mart, that was quite different from the Circle-K in north America and other parts of the world.
Good video, but how did you mispronounce Cuyahoga Falls? ;)
Ahhh! I’m not from Ohio, I should’ve looked up the pronunciation beforehand lol
❤😂.
Buy a Hog a😂😂😂 how we learned to say & spell it!
Im from Erie Pa . There were several Lawsons here . Many now are circle K or restaurants. Many of these stores exist in there original form. The exposed rafters are a dead give away. Many had 1 or 2 stores attached to them while others were stand alone. Remember their brand of milk targeted to kids ? " Awesome McLawson's " . These stores were built well and are very adaptable to many uses . And they also and basement s under them for deliveries.
I grew up in Ohio and loved Lawson's. The french onion chip dip was the best of it's kind ever! My Dad loved Lawson's butter pecan ice cream but they also had fantastic buttermilk, Big O orange juice, and at Christmas they had an eggnog that was just sooooo delicious! I miss Lawson's!
If you ever go to Japan they're on every corner lol
@@lavalamp505 That's fantastic! I have wanted to go to Japan for years and now I have another reason to go! 👍
lawson is awesome
Cuyahoga Falls Ohio..... Ky A Hog A Falls
I have been corrected by Ohio friends many, many times after this haha.
it's kai ya ho ga , not Quee a hoGA
I have been informed by many Ohioans that I have failed Ohio
Soon Family Mart will be owned by a company from Pennsylvania called Wawa.
Say it ain’t so. Wawa has gone completely down the drain the last few years!
QWEEAHOGA?!?! Oh, how embarrassing. Cuyahoga is not a difficult word to pronounce. Kie-a-hoe-ga. Say it with me. It’s only the name of the county Cleveland is in.
Hahaha, I got bullied by some Ohio friends for that one. I’m not from anywhere near the area so took my best guess at it