By SHIRO MATSUDA/ Staff Writer
May 14, 2024 at 18:13 JST
An unmanned mobile convenience store opens on May 13 at the construction site of the 2025 Osaka Kansai Expo in Osaka’s Konohana Ward. (Shiro Matsuda)
OSAKA–A unique, self-sufficient mobile convenience store is like manna from heaven for workers at remote construction sites for the 2025 Osaka Kansai Expo here.
The unstaffed FamilyMart outlet can be easily transported by a vehicle and relocated within the vast work site to meet worker demand.
Currently, the shop stands next to the under-construction Osaka Healthcare Pavilion at Yumeshima, an artificial island in the city’s Konohana Ward.
The outlet opened on May 13 in a joint project by Takenaka Corp., FamilyMart Co., Hitachi High-Tech Corp. and Croco Art Factory.
Measuring 14 square meters in size, the store operates from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., catering to construction workers with a selection of approximately 280 items, including bento lunch boxes, instant noodles, soft drinks and refrigerated food products.
Customers can pay for their purchases at two self-checkout machines using prepaid cards or credit cards. Cash is not accepted.
The store's electricity needs are powered by a combination of solar panels, a diesel generator and battery storage.
Takenaka, a contractor for the expo site, developed the mobile convenience store concept to address challenges faced by its workers in getting lunch while on the job.
The firm also deployed a similar mobile office at the site last year.
According to the companies involved, this is the first unmanned trailer-style convenience store in the country.
They envision this model offering a solution for disaster-stricken areas and sparsely populated regions with limited shopping options.
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