Sugakiya’s “Su-chan” rushed over too! A line formed at 8:00 a.m. for hamburgers. The person at the front of the line reportedly arrived around 8:00 a.m. They said the three of them had rushed over from Chiba Prefecture, decked out in DomDom merchandise such as “Whole!! Crab Burger” plush toys and bags. Later on, nearly 200 people lined up, and a significant number of them were wearing Domdom merchandise. Domdom fans are incredibly passionate—not just about the burgers, but also about the popular mascot “Domzo-kun.” Even after the weather suddenly took a turn for the worse and it began pouring, the line never stopped, reflecting the high level of anticipation for the first new store opening in Nagoya in 10 years. From Sugakiya—Domdom’s joint-venture partner under the MBO—Chairman Shinichi Sugaki and President Juichi Sugaki of Sugakiko Systems also rushed to the scene, and “Su-chan,” the mascot well-known in Nagoya, made an appearance. On Osu Manshoji Street—a hub for young people and inbound tourists—”Su-chan” continued to charm the crowd. However, the line of people waiting for the store to open stretched out in two or even three lines, growing so long that it looked as if it would block the entire arcade at any moment. President Fujisaki, who had rushed to the scene, greeted the crowd and thanked them for coming, then announced that, for today only, the opening time would be moved up by 30 minutes to 10:30 a.m. The shopping street on Manshoji-dori, steeped in tradition and said to have ties to the legendary Oda Nobunaga, was buzzing with a festive atmosphere.
The Benefits of a Joint Venture with Sugakiya Are Huge! We Asked Domdom President Fujisaki. Despite his busy schedule, Domdom Food Service President Shinobu Fujisaki rushed to the store just before opening. The moment he arrived, nearly 200 fans waiting in line cheered for him all at once, and he readily posed for commemorative photos with them—a truly memorable sight. It’s not just the hamburgers—President Fujisaki’s popularity is incredible, too. Since taking the helm at Domdom in 2018, President Fujisaki has been actively involved in developing new products and is known for turning around Domdom’s fortunes when the company was on the brink of collapse. We spoke with him about the opening of the new “Osu Manshoji” location. ――What are your thoughts on opening a new store in Nagoya for the first time in 10 years? Mr. Fujisaki: Until now, there were few “Domdom” locations in the Nagoya area, so customers had to travel as far east as Hamamatsu City (La Fle Hatsuse FC Store) or as far west as Kashiba City in Nara Prefecture (Jambo Square Kashiba Store) to enjoy our food. I’m delighted that we’ve been able to open a store in Nagoya in response to the many requests we received. ――Through the management buyout (MBO) with Sugakiya and others, you’ve transitioned to a new management structure. What benefits do you see from this? Mr. Fujisaki: Since the MBO last December, we’ve built a strong cooperative relationship with Sugakiya. One benefit is being able to share property information with Sugakiya when opening new stores like this one. This particular location had been operating until March as “Su-chan’s Sweet Cafe,” a different concept under Sugakiya, and we began preparations to convert it to a Domdom store around February, before it closed. ――Do you plan to open more stores in the Tokai region? Also, do you have any plans to open stores jointly with Sugakiya, which has just announced its expansion into the Kanto region? Mr. Fujisaki: At this point, we don’t have any information we can announce yet. As one example, we could envision cases where we jointly open a “Sugakiya ramen shop and a Domdom” in food courts, but for now, our policy is to remain flexible and explore opportunities without fixing specific locations or formats, while prioritizing “encounters” with suitable properties.
© Source travel watch