Since its major renovation in March 2011, Kobe International Conference Center SOL (8-1-6 Miyuki-dori, Chuo-ku, Kobe) has been promoting its store opening plans with a focus on a "Kobe-esque" aesthetic. On September 20th, three new stores will open, proposing a lifestyle unique to Kobe.

The new stores are "Rene Dieu" (headquarters: Himeji City), a store selling Scandinavian fabrics and miscellaneous goods; "La Lettre de Kobe" (headquarters: Kobe City), a new store format developed by Nagasawa, a long-established Kobe stationery store; and "Jibasan ele" (headquarters: Kobe City), produced by Takushi Maekawa, founder of the select shop "Ranchiki."

"Rene Dieu" carries over 500 types of Scandinavian fabrics and miscellaneous goods. Many of the products are sourced exclusively at the store by buyers who travel to the region to purchase them, making it one of the store's largest selections in Japan. In addition to selling fabrics and miscellaneous goods, customers can also select fabrics in-store and semi-customize interior items like curtains, lampshades, and stools. Accessories like hats, aprons, and pouches are designed and planned in-house. Nagasawa Stationery Center Co., Ltd., a long-established Kobe store, offers "La Lettre de Kobe." The store offers Venetian glass pens imported directly from Italy, and "Kobe Ink Story," a 43-color fountain pen ink series inspired by Kobe's cityscape and famous landmarks. As the store's name, "Letters from Kobe," suggests, the store offers a relaxed lifestyle of letter-writing and art through its stylish, original products. Jibasan ele, which works with artisans in Hyogo Prefecture and elsewhere to promote products that go beyond the boundaries of "collaboration," showcases both the depth of local industries and the latest trends. Workshops and exhibitions offering direct learning from artisans are planned for the future.