Japan-based convenience store chain Lawson Inc. will open its first-ever U.S. stores, according to Convenience Store News. The two new stores will be located in Hawaii's main tourism district: one in the lobby level of the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel and the other in a street-front space inside the Moana Surfrider, a Westin Resort & Spa. Lawson, which operates more than 10,000 c-stores in Japan, originated in Ohio in 1939 and began operating overseas in the 1970s. The new stores mark the company’s return to the United States. According to the report, the company plans to open between 30 to 50 stores in Hawaii.
