San Francisco Japantown Task Force

DATA SHEET

Place/Event: Super 7 Store

Address: 1630 Post St., San Francisco

Description:

Super 7 is a brand new retail lifestyle gift shop in Japantown. It carries an eclectic selection of books, magazines, zines (mini-magazines), stationery, toys, clothing and accessories all with a strong art or design focus. The space is also used as an art gallery with both an affordable art wall and a main gallery wall which has a new art show every six weeks. Many of the works and products featured are from local Bay Area artists as well as the rest of the US and abroad. Because of the store’s affiliation with Super 7 Magazine, it also has the best selection of vintage Japanese toys in the city.

History:

Super 7 store is the brainchild of Brian Flynn and Mark Nagata, the founders of Super 7 Magazine. The magazine’s first issue was released in the winter of 2002, to respond to the lack of English language publications covering the subject of Japanese toy culture. It is now a nationally and internationally distributed magazine with a current circulation of 10,000 copies per issue. Citing a further lack of a good Japanese vintage toy store in San Francisco, Brian and Mark enlisted the help of Mark Miyake and Jing Lee Bentley to start the Super 7 store. The store officially opened on June 5th, 2004 and has already had three art openings, one celebrity signing, and a live concert in the Peace Plaza.

Significance:

Contemporary, Cultural

Recognition of Significance:

Super 7 store has been featured in the following publications: NewType USA, Hokubei Mainichi, Nichibei Times, and Bridge USA.

Sources:

Mark Miyake – Super 7 Store Manager / Co-owner

Other Comments:

Super 7 strives to breathe new life into Japantown by not only creating a destination for younger visitors, but by having monthly events, such as art openings, live concerts in the Peace Plaza, and book and celebrity signings to further draw people who normally do not visit the area.

Prepared By: Darryl Abantao & Mark Miyake Date Prepared: 8/17/04