Some people like to go shopping when they travel. I’m not usually one of those people (though I am married to someone who is), but my current trip to Taiwan is an exception. On our first full day in Taiwan, I couldn’t wait to go shopping at… 7-Eleven! Let me explain.
Taipei’s 7-Eleven with a Starlux Airlines theme
While I appreciate the consistency and variety of options available at 7-Eleven around the world, I can’t say I’m generally a loyal follower of the brand. However, when I mentioned I was traveling to Taipei, I can’t count the number of OMAAT readers who reached out to tell me that I had to visit a specific 7-Eleven in Taipei. Why? Well, it has a Starlux Airlines theme, with Starlux being one of the three global airlines in Taiwan.
This particular location is the 7-Eleven Dunhua North Road, located in the Songshan are of the city. The address is as follows: No. 149, Sec. 2, Bade Rd., Songshan Dist., Taipei City 105. Lucky enough, it’s located just two blocks from the Capella Taipei, which is where we elected to stay (more on that in a separate post, because OMG!).
So, what makes this 7-Eleven special? As you approach, you’ll already see Starlux branding underneath the typical 7-Eleven sign.
For that matter, the direct exterior of the store has more prominent Starlux branding than 7-Eleven branding.
The inside of the store is fascinating. There’s a seating area right inside the entrance, with the wall intended to look like the fuselage of a Starlux plane.
Across from that is some seating with “FLY WITH THE STAR” written on it, plus a screen with programming about Starlux.
In terms of products, this location has all the standard products you’d expect from a 7-Eleven, but with airline branding all around it. For example, above the fridges with drinks is STARWONDERERS branding.
This reflects the Starlux safety video, as the STARWONDERERS are the “guardians” of Starlux flights (in addition to being an aviation geek, the company’s founder is a big space nerd).
In another area of the 7-Eleven you’ll find clocks with the times of different cities around the world. Well, sort of. I don’t think the clocks have actually been adjusted in a long time…
Other parts of the store look mostly normal, aside from a few Starlux logos or space-themed ceilings.
There’s also a cute table with a glass display, with what’s intended to look like an apron and runway, with several Starlux planes.
Lastly, there’s a small display with Starlux branded merchandise for sale, much of which is also available through Starlux’s online shop (which unfortunately doesn’t ship to the United States).
For what it’s worth, this seems to operate as a totally normal 7-Eleven in terms of the customer profile. Or at least that was my impression, as I was the only person who was downright giddy.
I’m curious, does anyone know the backstory of this arrangement? Presumably Starlux is paying some amount to have its branding in the store? Are there are other themed 7-Eleven stores out there, and I just missed them, or…?
So, what did I buy at the Starlux 7-Eleven?!
Admittedly I have very limited space in my bag, so I couldn’t actually acquire that many things. Initially I wanted to pick up a few Starlux mugs. However, they’re city themed, and the Taipei mugs were sold out, which were the ones that interested me most. So I decided to skip that.
Instead, I bought the Starlux dynamic night light music box, as it’s described, which I’ve been eyeing for years — literally (see my post about it from 2022). It’s basically a cute little moving box that has lights and plays the carrier’s landing music (yes, Starlux has separate boarding and landing music).
Our older son, Miles, is going to absolutely love this, so I can’t wait to bring it home and set it up for him (okay, and let’s be real, I love it just as much).
Bottom line
After hearing about it for years, I finally had the chance to check out the Starlux Airlines themed 7-Eleven in Taipei. I lucked out, as we happened to be staying right by it, so I didn’t even have to go out of my way to visit it.
Talk about a fun twist on the typical 7-Eleven. I do wish the selection of merchandise had been a bit bigger, but I also understand this isn’t a full-on aviation geek store, and it also has all the typical things you’d expect from a 7-Eleven. If you’re into this kind of stuff, be sure to check it out when visiting Taipei!
What’s your take on Taipei’s Starlux themed 7-Eleven?
