Circle K Sunkus

was a chain of company-operated and franchised convenience stores in Japan. The company is a division of UNY Co., Ltd., which licensed the Circle K name from Alimentation Couche-Tard, a Canadian convenience store company that owns the Circle K brand.

The typical Japanese convenience store goods such as magazines, manga, soft drinks, contraceptives, onigiri, and bento are available.

As of September 1, 2016, all Circle K Sunkus stores have been rebranded as FamilyMart stores as a result of the FamilyMart Co. and Uny Group Holdings Co. merger.

History
The first Circle K store in Japan opened on March 15, 1980 in Tenpaku-ku, Nagoya. 

The first Sunkus store opened in Aoba-ku, Sendai on July 23, 1980. The Sunkus chain expanded to Tokyo in 1981, Hokkaido in 1982, Osaka in 1989 and Nagoya in 1992.

Sunkus and Circle K Japan formed an equity and business alliance in October 1998.

The franchiser, Sunkus & Associates Inc. officially merged with Circle K Japan Co., Ltd. as of the September 1, 2004 fiscal year and was known officially as Circle K Sunkus Co., Ltd (株式会社サークルKサンクス). The two brands remained separate — convenience stores owned by the company have either a Sunkus sign or a Circle K sign.

Name
The word "Sunkus" is a combination of the words "Sun" and the word "Thanks",  The logo is a combination of the words "Sun", "Kids", and "Us".

References

External links
 
 

Category:Alimentation Couche-Tard
Category:Retail companies established in 2004
Category:Retail companies based in Tokyo
Category:Convenience stores of Japan