7-Eleven World`s Largest Chain Store

In Japan 7-Eleven’s is the largest market, more than a third of its convenience stores are located there (11,704 stores). Second largest is the U.S. (6,031), third Taiwan (4,511) and fourth Thailand (3,912).

7-Eleven was founded in 1927 when a Southland Ice Company employee started selling convenience items outside the company, at an improvised storefront. The name 7-Eleven has been in use since 1946. In 1991, a subsidy of the Japanese Supermarket chain Ito-Yokado (now 7-Eleven Japan) purchased a majority interest in the Southland Corporation, and eventually changed its name to 7-Eleven, Inc in 1999.
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