Hard Off !?!

This is the sign of a chain of stores in Japan called Hard Off. It’s a place where you can go to buy and sell household goods, clothes, sports equipment, and the like.
It has a sister store that sells lingerie and racy videos. Can you guess what it’s called?
I’m just kidding. But there really is an allied shop that is for second-hand books CDs and DVDs. Its called Book Off.
Whenever you go to s regular bookshop in Japan, they wrap the new book in paper at the register. You know like how you used to do with your new textbooks and copies at the end of August during the Back-to-School Sales. I used to always want just simple brown paper. I loved the uniform look of those crisply covered books and pads. Depending on what was available at home that year though, you’d sometimes end up with mismatched wallpaper. I hated that – it was never anywhere near as satisfying.
But I digress.
I think the shop assistants wrap the new purchases for a few reasons.
One: As the book is covered, it’s easier to keep it in good condition, and then easier to finally sell on to stores like Book Off. I think this is a great form of recycling, and is something we should copy in other countries.
Two: It’s advertising for the shop. The paper usually displays names and logos prominently. This is important in a land where you spend so much time sitting opposite other people on the train looking at what they’re doing.
Three: I think it might also be to stop those same people opposite you from being able to see exactly what you’re reading. Especially seeing as so many scummy salary men riding the train read porno books and manga at all times of the day and night.
In any case, mature as I am, it always gives me a giggle whenever I see the Hard Off sign as I go by one of the shops.