The Most Important Added Value for the Future is "Learnability"

The "D&DEPARTMENT PROJECT" focuses on long-life design, discovering "long-lasting, region-specific designs" from all 47 prefectures. They operate directly managed stores in Tokyo and Osaka, the "d47 MUSEUM" within Shibuya Hikarie, and partner shops in various locations including Okinawa, Shizuoka, and Hokkaido. The project is gaining attention not only for carefully conveying the creators' intentions and the value of their products, but also as a place to learn about that value and appeal.

This approach, which goes beyond simply selling products, reflects Nagaoka's belief that "the most important added value for the future lies in learnability." It holds the potential to solve current problems faced by regions and manufacturing sites.

The book is divided into three parts, revealing the future of retail spaces and how to create them. Part 1, themed "'Communicative Stores' as Envisioned by Kenmei Nagaoka," discusses how Nagaoka, with no prior retail experience, and his colleagues established a communication-oriented store. It further recounts their struggles, overcoming failures, and steady progress, along with the essential principles learned in the process.




Part 2, titled "The Making of 'D&DEPARTMENT,'" introduces unique know-how in a Q&A format, such as deliberately choosing locations with less foot traffic to make the store a destination rather than a mere stopover, and focusing on displays that discourage impulse purchases. Part 3 includes case studies from owners of partner shops operating in various regions.

In an era of intense price competition and short product lifecycles, stores that steadfastly sell carefully selected classic products at full price attract a growing number of discerning customers.—This book offers insight into Nagaoka's philosophy, which embodies this principle, and the future of retail spaces. It is a must-read for anyone considering store development, as well as for those contemplating a lifestyle of cherishing and using selected items for a long time.