SAPPORO (Kyodo) Bankrupt Marui Imai Inc., Hokkaido's biggest department store chain, resumed business Saturday by reopening two of its four stores as subsidiaries of sponsor Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings Ltd.
The wholly owned subsidiaries, now known as Sapporo Marui Imai and Hakodate Marui Imai, took over Marui Imai's branches in Sapporo and Hakodate.
"I would like to create a new Marui Imai and regain customer trust as soon as possible," said Jun Sekine, president of Marui Imai's Sapporo branch. "It is also a new step in the 137 years of history we have."
Customers welcomed the development.
"I have shopped for so many years here so I'm glad it started operations again," said a woman shopping at the Sapporo branch. "I hope it will forget that it is a department store in Hokkaido and focus on our needs here."
On Friday, Marui Imai transferred operations to Isetan Mitsukoshi, ending a local entrepreneur's control of the 137-year-old chain.
After struggling for years with heavy debt and dwindling sales, Marui Imai filed for bankruptcy protection on Jan. 29 with the Sapporo District Court.