[August 2022] Akihabara store closings

This summer, the number of COVID-19 infections was on the rise.
The rush of store closures has calmed down for a while, but what is the situation now?
This month, we'll be summarizing the closed stores we found in Akihabara.

※If you have any omissions or corrections, please contact us via Twitter (@akihabara_bc) or let us know in the comments.

Akihabara's closed stores

Akihabara stores closing in March 2022 (in chronological order)

closed:6 stores

[Relocation] Flat-Kobo Akihabara Store

Opening date: May 2, 2021 (Tuesday)
Closing date: Sunday, June 14, 2022

TCG shop "flat-kobo" will close on August 14th.
It relocated and reopened on the 20th of the same month.
The new store is located on the 6th floor of the 26th East Building along Chuo-dori, above the Iosys Akihabara Chuodori store.

Crane game specialty store help

Opening date: Monday, April 20, 2021
Closing date: Tuesday, May 16, 2022

Crane game specialty store "help" will close on the 16th.
They are currently looking for a property and are planning to relocate to a nearby store.
The circuit board shop "PCD Shop Try" that was located in the same store is currently operating from its headquarters in Matsudo City, Chiba Prefecture.

Three Four Time Atre Akihabara store

Opening date: Friday, June 19, 2010
Closing date: Thursday, June 18, 2022

Three Four Time, a store selling miscellaneous goods and clothing, is closing.
The store has been a tenant since the Akihabara Atre store opened in 2010.
The closest store to Akihabara is located in Atre Ueno.

Shimayama Wireless Company

Opening date: Around 1951
Closing date: Saturday, May 20, 2022

Shimayama Wireless Trading Co., Ltd., which was located in Akihabara Radio Center, closed on the 20th.
The electronic parts store opened around 1951, but closed its doors in August after about 71 years of business.
Fans both in Japan and overseas expressed regret over the store's closure.

Obon de Gohan Yodobashi Akiba

Opening date: July 2015
Closing date: Sunday, June 28, 2022

A restaurant located on the 8th floor of Yodobashi Akiba.
It was a set meal chain that mainly served Japanese cuisine.
In addition, restaurants are gradually withdrawing from the same floor of Yodobashi, leaving more and more vacant space.

Toranoana Akihabara Store A

Opening date: July 1994
Closing date: Wednesday, May 31, 2022

Toranoana Co., Ltd. will close five stores, including Toranoana Akihabara Store A, on August 31st.
The company has indicated its intention to reduce sales at its direct stores.
Akihabara Store A was renamed from Akihabara 1st Store in 2009, and also relocated in 2002.

Toranoana Akihabara Store A was closing today, so several people were there taking commemorative photos.
Also, at Melon Books, there is a parody of Birkin's message to Toranoana that reads vertically. pic.twitter.com/XUZZLVgkak

— Akihabara Base Camp (@akihabara_bc) August 31, 2022

Farmarche Pharmacy Akiba-Ichi Branch

Opening date: Thursday, March 9, 2006
Closing date: Wednesday, May 31, 2022

Farmarche Pharmacy, located on the first floor of Akihabara UDX, closed on the 31st.
The store also sold medicines and filled prescriptions.
It had been in business since UDX opened in 2006, but closed after 16 years.

Long-established stores are closing one after another due to the ongoing impact of the coronavirus

In August 2022, Toranoana's withdrawal from Akihabara became a hot topic.
It appears that they will be downsizing their physical stores and focusing on online sales.
Another store is already operating in place of Toranoana Akihabara Store B, which closed earlier, but the future of the former Toranoana Akihabara Store A site is currently unknown.
In any case, the appearance of Chuo Street will change dramatically.
Also, Shimayama Wireless Trading Co., which had been in business for 70 years, closed this month.
The atmosphere inside Akihabara Radio Center has become much lighter, with fewer electronic parts shops and more space for selling character goods.