Product Code Database
Kabushiki gaisha Sogō is a Depato chain with a significant presence in Japan. It operates a network of branches in various countries and has a long history dating back to 1830 when it was founded in Osaka by Ihei Sogō. The company is known for its retail offerings, including clothing, household goods and food products.
In 2009, Sogo merged with Seibu Department Stores (株式会社西武百貨店), forming Sogo & Seibu Co., Ltd. (株式会社そごう・西武). This merger marked the company's transition into a subsidiary of Seven & I Holdings, which also owns other well-known retail brands such as 7-Eleven.
Sogo previously owned stores in a variety of locations, including Beijing, China; Causeway Bay, Hong Kong (in the 1980s, before the Transfer of Sovereignty), Taipei, Taiwan; Jakarta and Surabaya, Indonesia; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Singapore; Bangkok, Thailand; and London, United Kingdom. However, most of these international branches have since closed or are now operated by independent franchising.
In 1872, Sogo transitioned from a second-hand store to a clothing retailer and moved to Andojibashi, Osaka. By 1877, the store was relocated again to Shinsaibashi and renamed Jūgō Clothing Store.
In response to growing demand from its external sales customers in the Kobe area, Sogo opened a branch in Kobe's on June 25, 1899. This store moved to Motomachi, Kobe, on April 3, 1901. By 1933, Sogo expanded further into retail and opened a full-fledged department store in the Sannomiya Station building, making it one of the first department stores to adopt the name "Kobe Sogo."
The company underwent significant growth, and in 1935, it opened a newly designed flagship store in Shinsaibashi, Osaka, built by architect Tōgo Murano. The new store was a modernist masterpiece, featuring a beautiful glass-block facade and integrating multiple facilities such as a theater, a tea room, and VIP lounges. The Shinsaibashi store’s construction was done in two phases, with the second phase being funded by the Itaya family conglomerate, marking the end of the Jūgō family’s direct management.
In 1940, the company officially adopted the name "Jūgō" as its brand. After World War II, in 1969, it became known as "Sogo," a name that has remained in use since.
After the war, the Osaka flagship store was requisitioned by the occupying forces and used as a PX (Post Exchange) store for military personnel and their families, halting normal department store operations. In response, Sogo opened stores catering to foreign residents in Osaka, including the "Overseas Surprise Store" offering imported goods.
In 1952, after a campaign led by the Japan Department Store Association to reverse the requisition, Sogo's Osaka store resumed operations on June 1. Despite the reopening, the store faced challenges, with sales struggling to recover for a year due to the long hiatus. Moreover, the company faced additional difficulties with low stock prices, leading to a period of hostile stock buying attempts by external investors. This tumultuous period set the stage for Sogo’s eventual transformation into one of Japan’s leading department store chains.
In 1967, the company launched its Chiba Sogo store, which became a major success. This led to a rapid expansion of stores in the Tokyo metropolitan area, particularly along National Route 16 in suburban stations. The company’s capital structure was complex, with regional subsidiaries funded by Chiba Sogo. Prior to its bankruptcy, Sogo operated only three directly-managed stores in Osaka (Shinsaibashi), Kobe (Sannomiya), and Tokyo (Yurakucho), with other stores operated by regional subsidiaries in which Chiba Sogo had invested.
By 1985, Sogo had opened its Yokohama store, which became the largest Sogo store in terms of sales and floor space, covering 83,654 square meters. At its peak, Sogo operated more than 30 stores worldwide and surpassed Mitsukoshi and Takashimaya in sales in 1992, becoming the leading department store group in Japan.
In response to its financial troubles, Sogo divested several unprofitable units and valuable assets, including stores in Japan (e.g., Kokura and Kurosaki) and international locations in cities like Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, and Taipei.
The company was restructured with support from Seibu Department Stores, merging with Seibu in 2003 under the holding company Millennium Retailing, marking a significant turning point.
Despite these challenges, Sogo remains a key player in the Japanese retail sector, operating as a subsidiary of Millennium Retailing, later rebranded as Sogo & Seibu, under the ownership of Seven & I Holdings. Several overseas stores continued as independent franchises, helping raise additional capital.
In August 2020, Sogo closed its stores in Seishin and Tokushima, followed by the closing of the Kawaguchi store in February 2021 due to declining sales.
| + !Kanto region !Kansai & Chugoku region | |
| Saitama (Omiya) | Hiroshima (Hiroshima) |
| Chiba (Chiba) | |
| Kanagawa (Yokohama) |
The store also brought in some very exclusive designers, a lot of which had their first counter in Mainland China such as Thomas Pink, Jean Paul Gaultier and Vivienne Westwood. Currently, besides Shanghai, Jiuguang also opened in Suzhou and Dailan.
Following Sogo Group's collapse and bankruptcy in Japan after the Asian financial crisis, Sogo Hong Kong, including the 40,500-square-meter retail property located in Causeway Bay, was sold for US$453.6 million to two local billionaires, Thomas Lau of Chinese Estates and Henry Cheng of Chow Tai Fook Enterprises. The new owners took Sogo public with the help of Lifestyle International in 2004.
Sogo Hong Kong Co. Ltd, the Sogo franchisee, now operates one additional store in Tsim Sha Tsui, which opened on September 30, 2005, marking the 25th anniversary of Sogo in Hong Kong. The Causeway Bay store added a large extension, which opened on November 22, 1993. The enlarged store carries items in all product categories across the 15-story building. It includes the Sogo Club, Sogo Book club, and a new annex building named Beauté by Sogo. The Tsim Sha Tsui branch focuses on designer fashions.
Lifestyle International Holdings Limited, the holding company of Sogo, was listed on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited on 15 April 2004. It is a member of the International Association of department stores.
| Sun Plaza |
| Deli Park |
PT. Mitra Adiperkasa Tbk., commonly known as MAP, also operated supermarket The Foodhall, previously known as Sogo Supermarket. The Sogo Supermarket brand, introduced in Plaza Indonesia since its opening in 1990, has been phased out progressively with the introduction of the Sogo Foodhall as a modern supermarket concept, before renaming it into The Foodhall Gourmet as Sogo Plaza Indonesia closed down. The first new concept store opened in 2005 in conjunction with the opening of its Pondok Indah Mall branch, and eventually evolved into The Foodhall today. The supermarket that operated as part of Sogo are located below.
| + !Jakarta |
| Plaza Senayan |
| Pondok Indah Mall 2 |
| Mal Kelapa Gading 3 |
| Lippo Mall Puri |
The Foodhall is also located in Senayan City (as part of now closed Debenhams department store), Grand Indonesia (as part of Seibu department store), and Central Park's extension, Neo Soho Mall. Other branches of The Foodhall are either standalone, operating independently inside a mall without any MAP-operated department stores, or operated under Daily Foodhall brand. Unlike The Foodhall for upper-class consumers, Daily Foodhall is operated for middle-class consumers. Daily Foodhall opened as part of Sogo on Paris Van Java in 2014, despite located in its extension.
Sogo stores that did not include the supermarket are listed below:
| + !Jakarta !Tangerang !Borneo !Medan !Surabaya !Bali | |||||
| Central Park | Supermal Karawaci | Big Mall Samarinda | Sun Plaza | Tunjungan Plaza | Discovery Shopping Mall |
| Kota Kasablanka | Deli Park | Galaxy Mall | Bali Collection | ||
| Emporium Pluit Mall | Pakuwon Mall |
Some stores also feature Planet Sports, Kidz Station (both MAP's inhouse brands), Starbucks, and Chatterbox Cafe. A Books Kinokuniya store was used to be located in the upper level of Sogo Plaza Senayan as its Indonesian flagship store, but closed on April 1, 2021.
Sogo's second store in Malaysia, located at the Central i-City shopping mall in Padang Jawa, Shah Alam, opened on 11 April 2019, followed by the third store at The Mall - Midvalley Southkey in Johor Bahru, opened on 23 April 2019.
The operator, Sogo (KL) Department Store Sdn Bhd, also announced plans to open new stores in Paragon @ KL Northgate in Selayang, and GEM Megamall in Seberang Perai, Penang. It also plans to open a Seibu store in Tun Razak Exchange (TRX) Lifestyle Quarter in Kuala Lumpur, which eventually opened on 29 November 2023.
Sogo also has been appointed to manage the operations of Mayang Mall in Kuala Terengganu, as well as becoming the mall's anchor tenant. Mayang Mall opened on 5 December 2024 as its fourth outlet with of space.
| + !State !Stores | |
| Kuala Lumpur | 2 |
| 1 | |
| 1 | |
| 1 |
In 2006, Pacific Sogo found itself in the midst of a corruption scandal over gift certificates involving the family of Taiwan's former President Chen Shui-Bian. In October 2006, Wu Shu-chen (the former President's wife) was cleared by court of accepting vouchers from Pacific Sogo in return for her influence.
Due to its ownership, Pacific Sogo brand was renamed into Far East Sogo in 2016, while the corporate name is still named Pacific Sogo Department Stores Co., Ltd. The company targeted Far East Sogo for middle-up to high-end customers, alongside its flagship brand, Far Eastern Department Stores, targeted for low-middle and middle customers, and The Mall, targeted for high-end customers.
Kuang San Sogo, located in Taichung, is not related to Pacific Sogo.
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