Even with almost nine years of being here, I never stop being amazed with how many of the same stores are almost on top of each other. Last year though I wrote about how a new convenience store moved into the area, and how with just the small addition of some tables and chairs for people to meet, it was taking business away from all the other convenience stores in the area.
The picture above is of the last convenience store in a 100 meter area around the newly opened one. It fought a good fight, but alas it had to succumb. That's not to say that once you extend the distance to 200 meters that there aren't five or more convenience stores still open. But they are probably safe. 100 meters is ok to go for a seat, but 200 meters is just ridiculous!
The picture is a bit blurry, but I think it's very apropos as it shadows what it will become. In the reflection you can see the shop directly across the street, which is a mini spa. So guess what this now empty convenience store became a few weeks later....
"Certainly not a spa" you say.
Well certainly you'd be wrong. As the somewhat cruel, and yet somewhat accurate joke in Taiwan goes, "your mistake was applying logic to the situation." I really do think that when people find a store front in Taipei, they just look up and down the street to see whatever else is there, choose the type of shop that there is the most of and says "I'm going to open up another one of those shops!"
To be honest, from experience this is not too far from the truth. I have interacted with quite a few people who want to open a shop. When choosing a location most of them look to find a place that already has other shops like that nearby.
