A Japanese store is opening its first NC shop in Raleigh. Here’s when & what you can buy

A Japanese “life” store is opening its first North Carolina location in Raleigh.

Ebisu Life Store , which was founded in Japan, plans to open on Hillsborough Street near N.C. State in January 2025 , Stone Alexander, a broker with real estate company Lee & Associates, told The News & Observer in an email.

The store will occupy a 3,644-square-foot space at 3012 Hillsborough St. , on the ground floor of the Uncommon student apartments, Alexander said. Uncommon replaced East Village Grill & Bar , a local favorite for beers and burgers.

What does Ebisu Life Store sell?

Ebisu Life Store offers a range of products and brands, all from Japan.

A representative for Ebisu contacted by The N&O has not yet shared details about the Raleigh location. But based on Ebisu’s social media accounts, the store carries home decor, snacks and drinks, toys, beauty products, cups and mugs, stationery and other products.

Other businesses coming to Hillsborough Street

A few restaurants are expected to open near Ebisu, The N&O previously reported :

• Nan Xiang Express : This fast-casual spinoff of New York City’s Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao specializes in soup dumplings. Its first North Carolina location opened in Durham over the summer. The opening for the Raleigh restaurant is unknown.
• Tsao Cha : The menu at this bubble tea shop includes a variety of food and drink choices: milk teas, fruit teas, smoothies, milkshakes, Korean fried chicken, wings, chicken sandwiches, fried French toast sticks, Korean corn dogs, egg waffles, dumplings and desserts. Besides the Hillsborough Street location, Tsao Cha is expanding in North Carolina to Durham and Huntersville.
• Chex Grill & Wings : The Charlotte-based restaurant specializes in wings, offering more than 40 sauces and rubs. But Chex, founded in 2014, also serves cheesesteaks, salads, wraps and burgers. The Raleigh location is the company’s first in the Triangle.

Other Ebisu locations in the U.S.

The company has stores in 10 other states, according to its online store locator .

In addition to the North Carolina location, Ebisu plans to continue expanding throughout the U.S., according to the company’s website:

• Arkansas: Little Rock
• Florida: Orlando, Tampa
• Ohio: Dayton
• Connecticut: Stamford
• Washington, D.C.
• Texas: Dallas
• Virginia
• Rhode Island: Providence

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