Bic Camera, Inc. (株式会社ビックカメラ, Kabushiki gaisha Bikku Kamera) is a consumer electronicsretailerchain in Japan. Currently, it has 45 stores in 17 prefectures. Bic Camera has a 50% ownership of former rival store Kojima[2] with 143 stores[3] and full ownership of computer store chain Sofmap with 24 stores.[4]
As of 2023, Bic Camera is the second largest electronics and home appliance retailer, behind Yamada Denki.[1]
History
In 1968, Ryuji Arai (新井隆司, Arai Ryuji) founded Takasaki DP Center Co., Ltd. (株式会社高崎DPセンター, Kabushiki gaisha Takasaki DP Sentā) in Takasaki, Gunma Prefecture. Four years later, the camera sales department was separated from the company and renamed Bic Color Co., Ltd. (株式会社ビックカラー, Kabushiki gaisha Bikku Karā). In 1978, Bic Color was renamed Bic Camera, with their first store opening in Ikebukuro, Tokyo. Originally specializing in selling cameras at discount prices, Bic Camera expanded to selling home appliances, personal computers, alcoholic beverages, golf equipment, bedding, luxury brand products, bicycles, and toys.
In 1994, Bic Camera spun-off its PC section to Bic Personal Computer Hall (株式会社ビックパソコン館設立, Kabushiki gaisha Bikku Pasokon-kan). Following a decline in PC sales, this subsidiary was absorbed back into the company in 2000. In 1995, Bic Camera displayed banners protesting France's nuclear weapons testing in the South Pacific.[1]Nippon BS Broadcasting Corp. was established in 1999, with Bic Camera as its majority shareholder.
As part of its expansion, Bic Camera purchased Sogo's Yūrakuchō building in 2001. Throughout the 2000s, Bic Camera opened locations connected to JR stations across the country. In 2005, Bic Camera moved its headquarters from Nishi-Ikebukuro to Takada. A year later, the company purchased Sofmap in February and had itself listed in the JASDAQ Securities Exchange on August 10.[1] In September, Bic Camera purchased a 3.2% stake in Tokyo Broadcasting System. On October 5, 2007, Bic Camera acquired a 9.33% share of rival Best Denki and increased its stake to 14.95%.[5] On June 10, 2008, the company was listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange and had itself delisted from JASDAQ on August 29. In 2009, Bic Camera was fined US$1.3 million by the TSE for falsifying its earnings after its shares lost half its value early that year. As a result, Arai stepped down as chairman and the company was delisted from the TSE.[1] Sofmap was delisted on January 26, 2010 after becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of Bic Camera. In June 2010, Bic Camera absorbed rival Sakuraya.[6]
On June 26, 2012, Bic Camera purchased 50% of rival store chain Kojima (株式会社コジマ, Kabushiki gaisha Kojima).[2] As a result of the Kojima acquisition, Best Denki split from Bic Camera and was fully acquired by Yamada Denki on July 13.[7] On September 1, Arai was reinstated as chairman. On September 27, Bic Camera signed a partnership with clothing giant Uniqlo to convert the Shinjuku East Store to BICQLO (ビックロ, Bikkuro).[8] The partnership ended on June 19, 2022 and the store reverted into a Bic Camera branch the next day.[9]
In April 2016, Bic Camera opened its first Air Bic Camera (エア ビックカメラ, Ea Bikku Kamera) branch at Haneda Airport. Air Bic Camera also has locations at Narita International Airport, Chubu Centrair International Airport, and Naha Airport, as well as two branches in Odaiba.[10] On December 19, Bic Camera partnered with Rakuten to launch Rakuten Bic (楽天ビック, Rakuten Bikku).[11] In 2018, Bic Camera reported record profits and a 50% increase in shares as a result of a rise in Chinese tourists and the store chain's acceptance of Alipay and WeChat.[1]
On March 5, 2021, Bic Camera opened its Kumamoto branch next to Kumamoto Station.[14] In June 2021, the company was ranked 132nd on the Global Powers of Retailing's Top 250 list.[15] In 2022, new branches were opened in Takatsuki and Chiba.[16][17] In addition, Bic Camera partnered with the JR East to have its own section on the "JRE Mall" online store.[18]
On May 7, 2023, Bic Camera closed its Kyoto branch, with its assets transferred to the Takatsuki branch.[19]
Stores
Bic Camera has stores in the following locations:[20][21]
Bic Camera has its own jingle titled "Bic Camera no Uta" (ビックカメラの歌, Bikku Kamera no Uta, lit. "Bic Camera Song"), which is used in TV commercials and broadcast within the stores. The jingle's melody is loosely based on the enka song "Tabako-ya no Musume" (煙草屋の娘 / タバコやの娘, lit. "The Girl at the Tobaccoist's"), which, in turn, traces its roots to the American hymn "Shall We Gather at the River?". The song's original lyrics for the main branch in Ikebukuro reference the Ikebukuro Station, the Seibu Ikebukuro Line by the east exit and the Tōbu Tōjō Line by the west exit, as well as Sunshine City. The lyrics are changed for specific branches such as BICQLO.[23]
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