At the newly renovated Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building 5th floor = Business Clothing, which boasts "one of the world's largest collections of trousers," Executive Fashion Editor Katsumi Yabe of the men's fashion magazine "MEN'S Precious" (published by Shogakukan) made an appearance. He discussed the key points of the renovation with buyer Yuki Yamaura.

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The goal of the renovation was to create a "third place for men."

The Yabe Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building , reopened after renovations in 2003, right? What was the purpose of this latest renovation of the 5th floor?
When the Yamaura renovation was first announced, the main selling point was that it was a department store with a wide variety of good products. However, 14 years later, I believe there's a need for a place where customers can enjoy themselves more, a place that makes them want to shop. Furthermore, it's now necessary to create an environment where customers can enjoy the time they spend here.
Yabe: You mean the location and time? That includes the time spent communicating with the stylist, right?
Yamaura: That's right. With this renovation, our goal was to create a "third place for men"—a comfortable "third" sanctuary. It's a place for men's community that's different from home or work.


Yabe: This counter is a symbol of that, isn't it? I think it's groundbreaking for a department store. Do customers use the counter?
Yamamura : Yes, I wanted this counter to be a place where we could "exchange feelings with our customers," so I set up six seats. Customers can enjoy conversations about the products while having a drink, and I can offer styling suggestions. It's exactly like this feeling of facing Yabe-san.
Yabe : It seems like not only will customers be able to connect with each other across the counter, but they'll also be able to connect with each other through conversations like, "What did you buy today?"
As Yamamura mentioned, customers are connecting with each other on social media through events like order sessions.
Yabe: I think customers not only want to be happy with the products they buy, but also want more in-depth information.
At the Yamaura counter, we use tablet devices to provide information on new product arrivals and take reservations for order events. We've created a counter where we can talk with customers at length and where they can relax and enjoy themselves, and we hope this will lead to a better cycle.
Sitting at the Yabe counter, sipping drinks, and chatting will likely become a common scene on the 5th floor.

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