On a recent trip to Tokyo I was taken by my lovely colleagues to a new flagship store for Tsutaya based in Daikanyama. Tsutaya has 1394 stores nationally in Japan and sells books and sells/rents DVDs and CDs…. please don’t think Blockbuster or Department stores, this certainly is not that! When it comes to evolving retail experience, Tsutaya clearly believe in this. From the moment you enter the complex of their new flagship store you feel that this is an experience. It is calm, cultured and enables discovery and thought. Designed by Klein Dytham Architecture, the firm behind projects such as Tokyo after-hours spot SuperDeluxe. The space has dark-chocolate-hued bookshelves and blond-wood floors to give the store an intimate feel. Anjin, in the centre of the space is a low-lit café-lounge with plush leather seats, a counter made from books, it’s a place to sepnd time, a place for reading, conversing and considering.
Tsutaya is owned by the Culture Convenience Club ..that’s all with capitol Cs! In their mission statement they state “Once we are satisfied with food, clothing and shelter in our daily living, we aim for self-actualization in search of our own style” For example, when we buy clothing, it is not just to dress with or to be dressed with. In fact, we choose our apparel by comparing designs and brands. The yardstick is not only “good design” or “preferred brand,” but also whether the means for expressing style stage a sense of individuality. Fashion apparel is just one example. Style is portrayed across numerous categories, such as music, movies, books, travel, cooking, automobiles, living, the arts, etc. When CCC was founded, TSUTAYA was created with the intent to provide a place for style selection, not a place for buying goods. Twenty-some years later today, our lifestyles continue to evolve, but this concept has not. We have grown to be able to respond continually to contemporary culture and current demand. In response to our holographically changing times and lifestyles, CCC develops “culture infrastructure,” the mechanisms that bring more joy and happiness to people and society through all phases of living, by continually offering new “lifestyle recommendations” via retail stores, online services, card services, and one-to-one marketing services to those people who have “My Style,” or a sense of individuality. When we planned the TSUTAYA business, the key concept easiest to understand and simplest to communicate to people was the concept of providing culture “whenever,” “wherever,” and to “whomever”
The Tsutaya space is not a “shop” in the traditional sense. In many ways Tsutaya is not retail, it is not about value in the sense of bang for your buck it is about value in terms of a great experience one that you really appreciate and an experience that brings to the forefront the value you can enjoy in life from books, film and music.
The Japanese are all about retail experience. Even in department stores there is any air of difference, when buying two badges at a subway store the assistant delightfully packaged them for me in a beautiful paper bag, folded delicately with a sticker for the gift…the retail experience and presentation was as though I was buying jewellery not a badge worth 100 yen ($1)
Sadly the devaluing of music or at least the CD, which occurred via supermarkets and department stores in UK/US when they priced ‘The CD’ low as a customer driver, has never been able to reverse. Other “true” dedicated music retailers; Tower records, HMV, Virgin and dedicated independents didn’t have time to differentiate themselves and as iTunes and Amazon became an arguably stronger proposition and in some cases a better retail experience the race was too short and the physical retail experience died. In Japan however the physical market remains strong, there are many contributing factors to this but two reasons are - they make great and beautiful product and the retail experience is cared for.
When visiting Tokyo’s Tsutaya and Tower Records in Shibuya, it brought back memories for me of how a store with recommendations, staff that care, an experience that you can enjoy and get lost in the world of discovery, is so special. I hope that Japan has a longer race and that the experience will have time to win. Tsutuya should become a new business model that evolves and more than survive but buld internationally. Tower Records in Shibuya, a five story environment dedicated to all tastes in music should too and if Tower Records in Tokyo doesn’t 'survive’ like the amazing Tower Records at Londons Piccadilly Circus and New Yorks East 4th st, it should certainly become a world heritage site… In fact it should become one now.
Footnote from Tsuyama’s website
CCC has gained expertise and experience through service offerings, marketing, and accumulated volumes of information over many years. By applying these assets to people, CCC can create unique, new culture infrastructure that existing companies cannot replicate, establish mechanisms for unprecedented innovative services and enjoyment across numerous lifestyle settings, and above all, architect the culture infrastructure embracing infinite possibilities to bringing happiness.
-Beth A
