Interview with the president: The significance of a watch specialty store that has continued to explore for three generations - Best Hanbai President Mitsutaka Ishida

ISHIDA Shinjuku is a watch specialty store that boasts one of the best selections in Japan. On June 19, 2021, the store changed its name from BEST Shinjuku Main Store and underwent a major renovation. Not only did it expand its sales floor space, but it also launched a variety of new services. To explore the significance of these changes, Masamasa Hirota, editor-in-chief of Chronos Japan, spoke with Mitsutaka Ishida, the third-generation president of Best Hanbai.

The intention behind the renewal of "ISHIDA Shinjuku" revealed through a conversation

Hirota: Following the opening of ISHIDA N43° in Sapporo in 2016, ISHIDA Shinjuku underwent a major renovation in 2021. Could you tell us the intention behind this renovation?

Ishida: The reason we decided to renovate ISHIDA Shinjuku was because we wanted to buy the land next to our old store and create a larger store. However, the most important thing was to create a space where customers could come and enjoy themselves. We aimed to create a store where customers could find the three elements that we value: "emotion," "laughter," and "dreams."

　Another important point is that there are no walls between the store floors. Anyone can put up walls in a store that houses a variety of brands, but the biggest thing was that we wanted to place importance on how to harmonize the brands without any walls and create a space where people could enjoy the differences between each floor. So, for example, for the Sapporo store, one concept was to create a space with such a luxurious feel in an area where there are no other watch specialty stores. And for the Shinjuku store, the main premise was to create a space that could be enjoyed by the many people who gather in Shinjuku, a melting pot of various races, and to change that on each floor.

　For example, the fifth floor is a lively space unique to an entry-level store, the third and fourth floors have a luxurious, adult atmosphere, the second floor is sporty, and the first floor is a space that is welcoming to women as well, with a mix of jewelry brands. If you go down to the basement, you will find a museum-like space with a collection of vintage watches. In terms of the three elements mentioned earlier, by creating a store like this, we want to create a space that will inspire customers, bring smiles to the faces of watch lovers, and inspire visitors to dream and want to buy from us someday. This is the intention behind the renovation.

Creating "tricks" that won't bore you

Hirota: Mr. Ishida, you've been in the B2B (Business to Business) business, where it's difficult to truly experience customer emotion. You then moved to B2C (Business to Customer), a niche industry, and I think you've started to see things from a completely different perspective than your previous experiences. How did you realize the important element of "emotion"?

Ishida: Even when I was at the trading company, the basic element of making customers smile and being impressed remains the same. Even in tough negotiations, there is a great sense of accomplishment when you can get through it, and we all dream about the future, so there was no difference there. Then I thought about what would happen if I applied that to the watch industry.

　I am also a consumer, so it is important for me to recall what it was that moved me. I think a big part of this is that I have inherited the DNA of my father (first president, Yoshitaka Ishida) and my brother (second president, Noritaka Ishida), who built ISHIDA up to now.

Hirota: The previous owner, Noritaka, also changed the background music and scents in the store depending on the time of day. I thought it was amazing how he came up with such ideas to keep customers from getting bored.

Ishida: That's why I think it's important to think about how to create a ``mechanism'' that will keep people from getting bored.

Hirota: ISHIDA is working to introduce a comprehensive ecosystem that includes trade-ins, which is something that few retailers in Japan are adopting. Why did you decide to expand this ecosystem with this renewal?

Ishida: I used to work for a trading company, so naturally the idea of ​​SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) was a part of management, and I'm implementing it in the watch industry as well. It's important to leave good watches in the world for as long as possible, and I believe that's our mission. And to leave good things behind, care is important, and to take proper care of them, you need to have relationships with reputable brands.

　Also, antique and vintage watches are not something that only people with money can buy, but they should be "affordable" so that people who truly love watches can buy them. It's important to create a world where many people can enjoy them, and that's why we're focusing on vintage items with this renewal. That's why we changed the name from "BEST USED" to "BEST VINTAGE" to further solidify that idea.

Hirota: I believe that luxury means providing consistent, seamless service from the entrance to the exit, and I feel that Japan's luxury business is lacking in this area. I think President Ishida is putting this into practice.