Originally Posted By Malin Only just come across this but the Oriential Land Company has decided to sell the Disney Stores back to the Walt Disney Company. With Disney buying back the chain of stores, will we see them being refurbished to reflect the recent changes happening to other Disney owned Stores in the States. I find it interesting to see OLC selling the Store's back, is this a sign the Disney Store's failed to bring in the profits it had hoped.
Originally Posted By Malin Oh forgot to provide link to the annoucement... <a href="http://www.olc.co.jp/en/news_parts/20100204_01e.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.olc.co.jp/en/news_p..._01e.pdf</a>
Originally Posted By SuperDry So, Disney will *finally* have its much-sought-after participation in Ikspiari, now that it will own one of the anchor tenants.
Originally Posted By Roger55 Not good news unless they continue to allow Japan Disney Stores to continue to have their own unique merch. Any shared merch will dilute or ruine the store. Unfortunately, I think one look at UK and Europe's Disney Stores will be a good indicator of a Disney operated international store. Yeeechhhh!
Originally Posted By trekkeruss That was my first thought. OLC's Disney Stores had what the old Disney Stores used to have: a quality mix of merchandise. If they turn into the Disney Stores of today, it would be a real loss.
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA I think Disney Stores are going the way of Planet Hollywood and Hard Rock Cafe. How much Disney merchandise does the average person need? When I walk into a Disney Store today -- I see the same Disney junk that is available in Target. What's the point anymore?
Originally Posted By trekkeruss I think a strong case can be made that theme stores were a fad, and Disney rode the fad for all it was worth. Yes, they could have kept the chain very small and exclusive, and it might still be in business (in its original form), but when the grew the chain to 500 + stores, they were selling a LOT. At its height, the division was the bread winner for the company. Then when people had their fill of Disney junk, they more or less got out.
Originally Posted By Roger55 The Japanese/OLC model for the Disney Stores was different than their US run conterparts. They did a lot of seasonal and promotional merchandise which I will miss the most. However, I think that this very thing might be the reason for OLC to be selling off the stores. I am certain that the product development costs coupled with the short shelf life of the inventory, did not make for a "highly" profitable business. In other words, more work for what it was making them. Dumbing down and diluting the Disney Store Japan merchandise to be a majority of generic "year round" type products, will keep product development costs way down, and items will have much longer shelf life. And for the holiday special merchandise they do decide to sell, I'm guessing it will be as boring and generic as the US Disney Stores holiday merch. Of course this is all speculation on my part. I really hope I am wrong on this one.
Originally Posted By trekkeruss <<The Japanese/OLC model for the Disney Stores was different than their US run conterparts. They did a lot of seasonal and promotional merchandise which I will miss the most.>> The old U.S. Disney Store was run that way too. I know because I was working in the stores then. There were plenty of seasonal and promotional items...it was all about synergy with whatever movie or tv show was current. I've heard that what hurt profitability was that adult clothing especially was not selling. Towards the end they were really having to do a lot of aggressive discounting. Really, how many Mickey Mouse shirts can a person own? Plus, it may have been in fashion in the 80's and 90's, but how often do you see adults wearing Disney clothing nowadays?
Originally Posted By leemac <<Not good news unless they continue to allow Japan Disney Stores to continue to have their own unique merch.>> One of the three reasons why OLC never made a profit with the Japanese TDS. The other two reasons were the ageing infrastructure and expensive leases. <<How much Disney merchandise does the average person need?>> More than has been sold to date which is why DCP has been on such a tear. Andy Mooney's division has built entirely new franchises and there seems to end to the success. I always find it strange when people called TDS a themed store. I saw a bunch of basic animated figures that looked down over a store of Disney merch - the merch was themed. TDS gave folks the opportunity to buy Disney-branded clothing from Disney - there were other licensees at the time when Pressler and Burke were expanding the stores but that was prior to the profileration of big box stores that stock their own Disney lines. People could get Disney stuff from Toys R Us but there wasn't anywhere in their own mall. There is the old adage in business that you should "stick to the knitting". OLC have proved time and again that they know how to manage and operate a Disney theme park resort but virtually every other venture has been a failure from Camp Nepos to their licensing venture in Roppongi to their non-Disney branded hotels (although the latter has stabilised).
Originally Posted By Mr X What happened in Roppongi? Nepos was such a ridiculously ill-considered thing, I have no idea how they ever thought that would work!
