Ebisu recently made its debut on the west side of Hillsborough Street, and the crowd outside during its opening weekend said everything about the excitement surrounding it.
For the first days of operations in June, customers waited in lines stretching down the sidewalk after months-long delays in Ebisu’s grand opening. For many Raleigh residents and NC State students, Ebisu offers a glimpse into Japanese culture, cuisine and design seldom found anywhere else in the Triangle.
Part of the store’s draw is its unique inventory for the area. There are no other Ebisu stores in the state, and only a handful exist across the country. Albeit a chain, the brand’s limited U.S. presence prompts curiosity from Raleigh customers.
Jonothan Felix, a backstore manager at the new location, has been working at the store since its opening. He said the store’s immediate success is due to the distinctiveness of its products and atmosphere.
“I just remember being so excited,” Felix said. “I was like, ‘Wow, this store is gonna be booming, because I just saw all the items that we had and the stuff that we were gonna be selling … And then the next day, when I came in and I saw that line straight down Hillsborough Street, I was like, ‘Wow.’”
Ebisu was first established in Japan in 2016 before expanding to the United States in 2019. The company’s mission centers around introducing global customers to Japanese lifestyle goods, from snacks and drinks to stationery, beauty items and collectibles.
While most of Ebisu’s inventory is Japanese products, some come from other parts of Asia. One viral item in particular that shoppers might be interested in are world-famous Labubus, which were included in promotional giveaways and store credits at the location.
The closest Ebisu prior to the Hillsborough Street opening was in Philadelphia. Other locations can be found in New York and along parts of the East Coast, but none in the Southeast until now.
Felix said the city’s growth and cultural diversity made Raleigh an ideal fit for the new location.
“I feel like the reason why this store was placed here in Raleigh was because of location and growth development throughout [the city],” Felix said.
Hillsborough Street has seen a growing presence of Asian-owned and inspired businesses in recent years. Ebisu is located across the street from Momo House, formerly Cha House, which offers boba tea and South Asian snacks, and shares the same building with Tsaocaa, a new boba and dim sum cafe currently under construction. Fun DipPot, Moge Tee and Golden Dragon are located east of Ebisu’s block of Hillsborough.
The store’s interior is designed to be both colorful and compact, with a downstairs section devoted to small, everyday items. Shelves are lined with candies, chips, instant noodles and soft drinks, with products rotating frequently to keep the selection fresh.
Among the shoppers, Derrick Findley, a first-year engineering student, meandered near the drinks, holding a Calpico, a sweet Japanese soft drink.
“I’m Japanese, and I’ve seen Japanese stuff, I’ve been to Japan, and this just caught my attention because I love this sort of stuff,” Findley said.
Beyond food and beverages, Ebisu also features a range of home goods, stationery and beauty products. Julia Linville, a warehouse manager, provided a list of other items in-store.
“We have a very big beauty section. We also have some household items, like dishes and forks, spoons, chopsticks, as well as some cleaning supplies. And then we also have blind boxes and plushies,” Linville said.
The upstairs area shifts focus toward entertainment, showcasing a range of toys, figurines and collectibles, from anime characters and blind boxes to intricately detailed model kits.
Customer feedback has been overwhelmingly positive so far, according to Google reviews. Many shoppers have shared their experience on social media, praising the store’s variety and vibrant atmosphere.
Felix said he hopes the store’s popularity will help spark interest in Japanese culture and inspire future locations.
“I feel like in the near future, Ebisus are gonna keep on popping up in major cities or major states that keep on growing,” Felix said.
The store is located at 3012 Hillsborough St.