valve bouncer

That.
Just a bit of an in-joke with Q-Shoe.

Q Shoe Guy

I feel your pain valve....o thank heaven for 7/11 errr 7/i that I have one around the corner from me here in Kyushu (only semi田舎)!

UnitedConnection

That's because "7&i holdings" is the name of the parent company that owns 7/11...it was only recently formed in 2005 so that the owner of Japan's 7/11's could buy the entire franchise. 7&i owns Denny's restaurants in Japan as well, I believe...

kcvt750

And a few other holdings:

Convenience Stores:

Seven-Eleven Japan Co., Ltd.
7-Eleven, Inc.
SEVEN-ELEVEN (HAWAII), INC.
SEVEN-ELEVEN(BEIJING)CO., LTD

General Merchandise Stores:

Ito-Yokado Co., Ltd.
Marudai Co., Ltd.
Hua Tang Yokado Commercial Co., Ltd.
Chengdu Ito-Yokado Co., Ltd.

Department Stores:

Millennium Retailing, Inc.
Sogo Co., Ltd.
THE SEIBU DEPARTMENT STORES, LTD.
Robinson Department Store Co., Ltd.

Supermarkets:

York-Benimaru Co., Ltd.
York Mart Co., Ltd.
SHELL GARDEN CO., LTD.
K.K. Sanei
Beijing Wang fu jing Yokado Commercial Co., Ltd.

Food Services:

Seven & i Food Systems Co., Ltd. (Eight restaurant chains, including Denny's)

Finance Services:

Seven Bank,Ltd.
IY Card Service Co., Ltd.
SE CAPITAL CORPORATION
K.K. York Insurance
Seven Cash Works Co., Ltd.

IT/Services:

Seven and Y Corp.
7dream.com
Seven-Meal Services Co., Ltd.
MILLENNIUM Casting, Inc.
GOTTSUO BIN CO., LTD.

Others:

Mary Ann Co., Ltd.
Oshman’s Japan Co., Ltd.
THE LOFT CO., LTD.
AKACHAN HONPO CO., LTD.
IY Foods K.K.
K.K. Terre Verte
Life Foods Co., Ltd.
Mall & SC Development Inc.
IY Real Estate Co., Ltd.
IKEBUKURO SHOPPING PARK CO., LTD.
Yatsugatake Kogen Lodge Co., Ltd.
K.K. York Keibi
SEVEN & i Publishing Co., Ltd.
SEVEN & i Life Design Institute Co., Ltd.
SEVEN & i Financial Center Co., Ltd.
S-WILL Co., Ltd.

phaleesy

Always thought it should be called 11/7. Used to do the graveyard shifts (11pm to 7am) when I was a poor student in SIN.