Friday May 25, 2012

JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION

U.S. investment firm Bain to buy Skylark restaurant chain: reports

Business Oct. 12, 2011 - 05:49PM JST ( 16 )

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16 Comments

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JapanGalOct. 12, 2011 - 06:46PM JST

Where did SkyLark Gardens go to?
1

BurakuminDesOct. 12, 2011 - 06:48PM JST

Let's just hope they improve the food safety in the joint.
1

ogtobOct. 12, 2011 - 07:00PM JST

With such great brand names as (dis)Gusto $3.3 billion sounds like a real bargain.
0

JapanGalOct. 12, 2011 - 07:21PM JST

Haha ...yeah it is DisGusto
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SerranoOct. 12, 2011 - 08:05PM JST

Great, now maybe the Skylarks will become no smoking.
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CapnSinbadOct. 12, 2011 - 09:37PM JST

All those restaurants are appalling, all their cooked food is boated in frozen from China. These places are insidious, just check the diff between the menu pix and the actual 'food'. Whoever gave the go ahead for this deal is not only naive but ignorant. Unless only profit is their plan, the average undiscriminating diner here will eat anything as long as it's on a plate.
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ShermanOct. 12, 2011 - 09:39PM JST

They are welcome to it.
0

Piltdown ManOct. 12, 2011 - 10:23PM JST

A corporate turnaround specialist, Bain has rebuilt struggling businesses, including U.S. restaurant chains Burger King and Domino’s Pizza, the Nikkei said.

I don't forsee Bain rebuilding the struggling Skylark gaggle of restaurants. Nomura is getting the better end of the bargain on this one.

Bain would be much better off building a restaurant chain from scratch; or even introducing the IHOP chain to Japan.
1

some14someOct. 12, 2011 - 10:36PM JST

Nomura is getting the better end of the bargain on this one.

at first i thought Nomura has become NPO (no profit organisation) Bought at Y250bil in 2006 and selling at the same price in 2011 - but may be you are right....economy has deteriorated in last five years..so it's a good bargain for Nomura.
0

tmarieOct. 12, 2011 - 10:52PM JST

Who eats at these places? I have been less than a handful of times and am always shocked at a) the amount of smoke b) the price c) the amount of blonde hair yanki who don't look like they can afford to eat there d) said people's kids running around like monsters...

Perhaps they'll a) ban smoking (mind you, would lose their customers) b) drop the price and c) get some decent food? The stuff at these places is gross!!
0

Jan Claudius WeirauchOct. 12, 2011 - 11:05PM JST

maybe they will close some of the shops which make not enough money and people loose there jobs, it's always the same but a little bit later in Japan
-3

herefornowOct. 13, 2011 - 12:06AM JST

Separately, the Nikkei business daily said the move reflects a return by foreign investors to the Japanese market.

That's a nice thought, but a little optimistic. One deal does not a trend make. If Japan truly wants to attract foreign investors it needs to make some serious structural reforms and not just have companies like Bain come in and buy-up turnaround targets.
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DentShopOct. 13, 2011 - 12:14AM JST

I agree with some of the posters here - there is absolutely no reason for me to go to this place. I know that Saizeriya serves half-decent, cheap and quick Italian styled food. Yeah, I will go there. Bikkuri Donkey does a very filling hamburger set for less than 1000 Yen with an interesting atmosphere and Big Boy has unlimited soft drinks, salad bar and good steak for about the same price.

But Gusto? A weird mix of Japanese stuff and hybrid other stuff that is barely palatable and all the while I am paying extra for every cola or soup.

Just make it a viking style buffet, all you can eat with drinks included for 1600 Yen during the week and I might consider it.
0

FoxieOct. 13, 2011 - 12:15AM JST

Skylark is the place to go when everything is over but if Skylark is over now, then nothing can be over again. Just how should I feel about that?
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NeoJamalOct. 13, 2011 - 12:19AM JST

Ousho and those gyudon places have better P/E ratios than most family restaurants I imagine. Alot of the* famiresu * establishments around my area haven't been refurbished since the bubble burst and I can't tell as to whether the food or the building is disgusting. The grill menu at these places are not very appetizing for a hungry grown male. For the same amount of money you pay for a small hot plate of a beef patty and maybe an over marinated fried shrimp, you can eat a wholesome meal at somethingsomething-ya. Remember above all, there is a recession on.
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ScroteOct. 13, 2011 - 10:26AM JST

I went into Gutso, once, and was served a plate of unappetising, greasy stuff. Bain are on to a loser if they are paying about $1 million per restaurant.