Japanese variety store chain chooses Tampa for Florida debut

Daiso, a leading Japanese variety chain known as a 100-yen store, has signed a lease to open a store in the Northdale Promenade in Tampa. 

The store is scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2025, according to a statement from real estate brokerage Katz & Associates. Katz’s David Eggnatz represented Daiso, and Brian Hector of Kite Realty represented landlord Kite Realty. The Daiso Tampa store is the first signed location for the chain on the west coast of Florida, the release states, and the second signed lease in the state. The Tampa store will be the first one to open in Florida, and the company seeks additional sites in the state that are 7,000 to 12,000 square feet, the brokerage adds.  

“We are excited to be working with a strong company that is thorough in their expansion goals throughout Florida with a great outlook on future growth,” Eggnatz says in the release. “This new store is strategically located in a strong center and top-tier market within the Tampa MSA.”

Founded 50 years ago, Daiso, according to its website, has over 100,000 products in its stores, which aim to be a “one-stop-shop for all your household needs.” The company has 6,000 stores worldwide, and 100 in the U.S., mostly in Texas, Arizona, Nevada, California and New York. Daiso says it stocks an “extensive range of products spanning various categories, including Japanese inspired home decor, stationery, food and more.” 

The chain’s appeal, according to a 2023 Footwear News story about new store openings, stems from it “optimistic aesthetic, colorful interiors and large product array.” It also has a quirky social media campaign. 

Not everything in the stores is under 100 yen. (100 yen is worth about $0.65.) The  Footwear News story says many items retail for $1.75, with the highest around $15.25. Also, the price tags are marketed in yen, and charts in each store show price conversions between dollars and yen. 

The chain’s appeal seems to stem from its optimistic aesthetic, colorful store interiors and vast array of products, including home goods, snacks, stationary, stuffed animals and craft supplies — many items retailing for $1.75, with the highest at around $15.25. The retailer also brings a full-scale shopping experience from Japan to the U.S., as well — price tags are marked in yen, and charts in each store show price conversions between dollars and yen.