Lawson ローソン

Lawson's name and milk-can logo trace back to a small dairy store opened in 1939 by James 'J.J.' Lawson in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, which grew into the regional Lawson Milk Co. convenience chain in the American Midwest. In 1975, Japanese supermarket group Daiei — which had a consulting agreement with Lawson Milk's U.S. parent — opened the first Lawson store in Japan, in Toyonaka, Osaka Prefecture, adapting the American convenience-store format for Japanese neighborhoods.

Lawson grew into one of Japan's three largest convenience store chains alongside 7-Eleven and FamilyMart, known for its Uchi Café private-label coffee and in-store baked goods. Ironically, while the original American chain no longer exists in the U.S., Lawson now operates well over 10,000 stores across Japan and has also expanded into other Asian markets such as China.