The outline of the redevelopment (remodeling) plan for Mitsukoshi Nihonbashi Main Store, which will conclude in 2020, has been announced. The remodeling will be carried out in stages starting in 2017, with the first phase scheduled for a grand opening in spring 2018. Architect Kengo Kuma will be in charge of environmental design.
The store made the "Culture Resort Department Store Declaration" in March 2014, announcing its vision for a new type of department store. While new initiatives have been proposed in each sales floor, such as the opening of the "Hajimarino Cafe," an interactive shopping complex centered around a cafe on the 7th floor of the main building, this is the first time that the details of the overall remodeling have been announced.
The first phase will require an investment of approximately 12 billion yen. The plan is expected to reach 20 billion yen by spring 2020, aiming for a 10% increase in sales in fiscal 2020 compared to fiscal 2016. Incidentally, the store's in-store sales (January-December) have been steadily increasing, rising 101.8% in 2012, 103.8% in 2013, 101.9% in 2014, and 100.5% in 2015.
In 1904, the store made the "Department Store Declaration" by transforming from a kimono shop called Echigoya into a Mitsukoshi department store. "Learning from the courage of our predecessors, who embarked on a great adventure in the distribution industry at that time, we too aim for change," said Yoji Naka, Executive Officer and General Manager of Mitsukoshi Nihonbashi Main Store at Isetan Mitsukoshi. The store opened a new wing in 2004 and underwent earthquake-resistance renovations on the basement and first floor of the main building in 2006, but this is the first full-scale remodel in decades.
This remodel aims to attract more customers in their 40s by shifting customer classification from the traditional "groups" based on age and gender to "tribes" based on hobbies and values. Specifically, the merchandising structure will place Art & Order above the existing Prestige Zone, and increase the area devoted to "Play" (art, kimono, learning, sports, etc.) in the Clothing (+ Decoration), Food, Living, and Entertainment category. The store will also revise its customer service approach to a "sit-down" style for kimono, a style that is a hallmark of the store's DNA, and pursue depth over breadth in its product lineup. "Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi is the perfect store to move away from the traditional "Kintaro-ame" (a uniform style of fashion) department store format and become a culture-focused department store. While historically well-located, changes in transportation networks and other factors have altered the location environment, and it is estimated that more than 80% of department stores nationwide face similar challenges due to factors such as an aging population. We aim for this remodel to serve as a guide for the path a new department store should take," says Manager Naka. The first phase of the redevelopment plan covers floors 1-3 of the main building and floors 1-2 of the new building, focusing on the upper floors of the main building and the new building to develop a "play culture" theme. As floors that will symbolize the remodel, several contemporary art galleries will be newly established on the first and second floors of the new building, increasing the current five galleries in the art section on the sixth floor of the main building to ten when the new building is included.
Kengo Kuma's design, which Manager Naka says "was chosen because he was the perfect choice for the remodel, which was not just about interior design but also included the environment," is based on the theme of a cultural resort, and is centered around "trees" that attract people and "paths" that allow people to flow, with an environmental concept of a sense of openness and the ability to practice attentive customer service. Each floor will be designed with a forest theme.
Text: Noda Tatsuya
