these destroyed our local mom and pops shops in my area

Lets you pay your phone, water, and electric bills.

Sounds like Japanese 7-11 then. A friend of mine bought plane tickets from one to come visit me.

Yes but, there are also 7-11’s as well just not as many.

These things popped up all over the place here in Brazil, out of nowhere. No kidding, my neighborhood has at least 4 of them in a walking distance from me.