12/21/99: Mandarake MADNESS!

The economic recession in Japan is hitting retailers like never before, and those smart enough to specialize in low-cost used goods have been reaping the benefits. Mandarake, the famed secondhand comic and toy retail chain, is one such success story: they've been releasing store specials and opening new outlets like there's no tomorrow. In fact, American fans were thrilled when they decided to open a Los Angeles store as well.

Prepare to be even more thrilled.

According to the December 6th issue of The Nikkei Weekly newspaper, Mandarake will be opening shops in New York, Seoul, Boston, Seattle, and Chicago within the next three years. Furthermore, "Mandarake President Masuzo Furukawa....wants his New York shop to be a sort of comic theme park, complete with comic-hero figures and costumed musicians playing theme songs from animated cartoons."

So where's the dough for all this expansion coming from? An IPO, of course. Mandarake is due to float shares of stock in July of 2000. Stay tuned for more info as the story develops!

--M.A.

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