The first thing i noticed about Taipei when I arrived, was the ubiquity of 7-11. Sometimes across the street from each other, sometimes three doors down from each other. I often tell the story of how in my first week here, I was off to meet a friend, and she gave me directions and then said "next to the 7-11." Only to arrive at the street and there were three 7-11s on the same street, and a total of five in the area.
With there being so many, I am always surprised that they can all survive. There are not only 7-11s in Taiwan, but about six or seven other chain convenience stores. I've lived on streets where there were four different convenience stores within 50 meters of each other.
However this appears to be changing. When I first moved in to my new place last summer, there were three 7-11s around my house. At the end of last year one of them closed, and is now a chicken restaurant. This was the first convenience store of any kind, I'd ever seen close. Then just recently I saw that this one in the picture is closing.
I can't really tell you a reason why they are closing. I know personally, I go to 7-11 less and less. I used to go to get some small snacks to give me energy before class, or when it was late at night. However with food stands open late, and me always having fruit at home, i rarely get something from 7-11. Now the only reason I ever step foot in a convenience store is to pay my electricity/gas/water/phone/internet bills. I usually use my bank when i have to withdraw money, so I don't have to pay the ATM fee (every little bit counts).
However Taiwanese do seem to love 7-11. Actually the part they love most is the section that has microwavable meals. They are so popular, that I don't understand why Taiwanese supermarkets don't have rows and rows of microwavable meals, just like American supermarkets do. I would even guess that Taiwanese are much busier than the average American, and have much more need for a quick microwavable meal. Yet other than in convenience stores, they don't seem to sell. I know a few people whose job is importing food to sell in Taiwanese supermarkets, and they all say that when they had the microwavable meals/snacks/etc. they never sold.
But for now, I know it's just two stores, but it seems like this is a sign that a shift in Taiwanese culture is about to happen. Or perhaps not, because this 7-11 is turning into a Family Mart, which is another convenience store chain. The more things change...
