I replied to an older post about Sanrio in closing it stores has got me thinking. What is not widely reported was Sanrio was closing its company stores and pushing owner operators to buy back stores and run them as independent Sanrio stores. I know this true because I talked to the previous owner of the closed Washington Square store In Oregon. Sanrio wanted her to buy back the store , but at her age, she decided to retire instead.
Now two years later, I think the way Sanrio approached pulling out of the retail market was the wrong decision. They should had push spinning off the stores than outright closing them and relying on big retailers.