“Kabushiki gaisha Bikku Kamera” that’s its official Japanese name. This translates to Bic Camera Inc. It is a major electronics retailer. Let me tell you more about Bic Camera.
Bic Camera began in 1968. Ryuji Arai founded Takasaki DP Center Co Ltd. This was in Takasaki Gunma Prefecture. The camera sales section became Bic Color Co Ltd in 1972. In 1978 Bic Color changed its name. It became Bic Camera. The first store opened in Ikebukuro Tokyo. Bic Camera initially sold cameras at discounted prices. It then grew its inventory. It began selling home appliances. It also offered personal computers. Alcoholic beverages were also sold there. You could even buy golf equipment. Bedding and luxury brand products were available too. Bicycles and toys rounded out the offerings at Bic Camera.
In 1994 Bic Camera created a PC division. It was called Bic Personal Computer Hall. PC sales dropped later. So this division was reabsorbed in 2000. In 1995 Bic Camera protested French nuclear testing. Banners spoke out against it. This was in the South Pacific. Nippon BS Broadcasting Corp was created in 1999. Bic Camera owned the majority of shares.
Bic Camera kept expanding. It bought Sogo’s Yurakucho building in 2001. Throughout the 2000s Bic Camera opened stores. These were connected to JR stations. In 2005 Bic Camera moved its headquarters. It relocated from Nishi-Ikebukuro to Takada. A year later Bic Camera bought Sofmap. Bic Camera listed itself on the JASDAQ exchange. This was on August 10. In September Bic Camera invested in Tokyo Broadcasting System. In 2007 Bic Camera bought shares of Best Denki. It became a major shareholder. In 2008 Bic Camera was listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
In 2009 Bic Camera faced challenges. It was fined for falsifying earnings. Arai stepped down as chairman. In 2010 Sofmap became wholly owned. It was delisted. In June 2010 Bic Camera absorbed Sakuraya.
In 2012 Bic Camera acquired a stake in Kojima. Best Denki then split from Bic Camera. Yamada Denki acquired Best Denki. Arai returned as chairman. Bic Camera partnered with Uniqlo. They converted a store into BICQLO. This partnership ended later. The store became a Bic Camera branch again.
In 2016 Bic Camera opened Air Bic Camera. These branches are at airports. In 2017 Bic Camera partnered with Rakuten. This launched Rakuten Bic. In 2018 Bic Camera had record profits. This was due to Chinese tourists. It was also because of accepting Alipay and WeChat payments.
In 2020 Bic Camera opened Nihonbashi Kaden. This was a partnership with Mitsukoshi. In 2021 Bic Camera opened a Kumamoto branch. Also in 2021 the company was ranked 132nd globally among retailers.
Today Bic Camera continues to innovate. It adapts to changing markets. It remains a key player in electronics retail. It has locations across Japan. Its history is one of growth and adaptation. It has a commitment to meeting consumer needs. So next time you’re looking for electronics remember Bic Camera. It’s more than just a store it’s a Japanese retail icon.