Tomitaya-Shouten Co., Ltd.

Tomitaya-Shouten Co., Ltd. (有限会社富田屋商店) was a Japanese company based in Futaba-cho, Takasaki City, Gunma Prefecture. Founded in 1928 as a fruit and vegetable shop, it was incorporated in 1955 and shifted into the food supermarket business in 1967 with the opening of its store 'EXCELLENT FOOD TOMY' (エクセレントフード トミー). The company operated a single store with a sales floor of about 250 tsubo (roughly 825 square meters) and around 80 employees. Positioning itself as a long-established, upscale supermarket, Tomitaya-Shouten emphasized food safety and close ties to the local community, seeking to differentiate itself from competing stores. In 2010 it renovated its in-store bakery under the name 'TOMY'S BAKERY' (トミーズベーカリー), having acquired baking techniques from a company in Sagamihara City, Kanagawa Prefecture, and insisting on the use of natural yeast and domestically produced ingredients, which are considered difficult to handle. The company was a full member of the New Japan Supermarket Association (NSAJ, now the National Supermarket Association) and also participated in the Midori Chochin (Green Lantern) movement. On October 13, 2015, a notice of closure was posted at the store entrance. The Takasaki Maebashi Keizai Shimbun reported on customers who arrived unaware of the closure and turned back upon seeing the notice, as well as a business partner from a fruit orchard who was confused because they could not reach the store. That article became the most-read article of 2015 for the newspaper. The store was subsequently demolished, and the site was redeveloped into a condominium (Polestar Takasaki Residence, completed in 2019).

Tomitaya-Shouten was founded in 1928 (Showa 3) in Takasaki, Gunma Prefecture, originally operating as a fruit and vegetable shop. In 1955 (Showa 30) the business was incorporated. In 1967 (Showa 42) it opened the store 'EXCELLENT FOOD TOMY' and shifted its business format to a food supermarket. The company operated only one store, with a sales floor area of 250 tsubo (approximately 825 square meters) and about 80 employees. As a long-established upscale supermarket, it emphasized food safety and community closeness, differentiating itself from competitors. In 2010 (Heisei 22) it renovated its in-store bakery into 'TOMY'S BAKERY', having learned baking techniques from a company in Sagamihara City, Kanagawa Prefecture, and insisting on the use of natural yeast and domestically produced ingredients, which are considered difficult to handle. The company was a full member of the New Japan Supermarket Association (NSAJ, now the National Supermarket Association) and participated in the Midori Chochin (Green Lantern) movement. On October 13, 2015 (Heisei 27), a notice of closure was posted at the store entrance. The Takasaki Maebashi Keizai Shimbun reported on customers who arrived unaware of the closure and turned back upon seeing the notice, as well as a business partner from a fruit orchard who was confused because they could not reach the store. That article became the most-read article of 2015 for the newspaper. The store was subsequently demolished, and the site was redeveloped into a condominium (Polestar Takasaki Residence, completed in 2019).

• 2019

  Site redeveloped into Polestar Takasaki Residence condominium.

• 2015

  Closure notice posted on October 13; store subsequently closed.

• 2010

  Renovated in-store bakery as 'TOMY'S BAKERY'.

• 1967

  Opened 'EXCELLENT FOOD TOMY' and shifted to food supermarket format.

• 1955

  Incorporated as a limited liability company.

• 1928

  Founded as a fruit and vegetable shop in Takasaki, Gunma.

Long-established upscale food supermarket emphasizing food safety and community ties.

• EXCELLENT FOOD TOMY supermarket

  The company's sole food supermarket, with a sales floor of 250 tsubo and about 80 employees.

• TOMY'S BAKERY

  In-store bakery renovated in 2010, using natural yeast and domestic ingredients.

1. 1Tomitaya-Shouten Co., Ltd. - Wikidatawikidata.org
2. 2富田屋商店 (高崎市双葉町) - Wikipedia (Japanese)ja.wikipedia.org