Tanseisha is collaborating with NIPPON SHUPPAN HANBAI INC. (Head office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President and Chief Executive Of cer: Keiji Okumura; hereinafter referred to as "Nippan") to develop the Hontas Tameike Tameike-sanno Metropia Store, a completely unmanned bookstore that will open within Tokyo Metro Tameike-sanno Station in the fall of 2023 as a demonstration experiment toward realizing a sustainable bookstore model.
Background and purpose of the initiative
As the number of bookstores nationwide is decreasing, the number of bookstore closures is accelerating not only in rural areas but also in the metropolitan area. In particular, there are many cases of bookstores being forced to close due to labor costs and rent, especially in locations inside or in front of train stations. Even though they are in areas (stations) with large populations where bookstores would be viable, they are closing because they are unable to satisfy people's need for bookstores, and furthermore, the loss of a real contact point with books in people's daily lives leads to a loss of reading habits.
In response to this situation, Nippan is taking on the challenge of developing a bookstore model that is "completely unmanned" and "designed to be friendly to light users" in order to provide new encounters with books that fit the lifestyles of modern people and meet people's needs. Tanseisha will utilize its track record of resolving problems through spatial creation to create a new bookstore experience by combining spatial design and technology, while maintaining the "ease of entry, ease of understanding, and ease of use" that traditional local bookstores have.
The first store will open inside Tokyo Metro Tameike-Sanno Station in the fall of 2023, and the company will work to establish a model through a pilot project. In the future, the company will propose the system to bookstore operators as one solution to the challenges they face, such as rising labor costs and a lack of successors, and will contribute to improving the sustainability of bookstore management.
Brand concept and key points
Brand name
"Hontasu"
The meaning behind the name
"Books" add value to life. Increasing the number of bookstores in the city and creating the city. A new type of bookstore.
Brand Concept
"Enjoy books in your daily life! Grab the latest books in a snap!"
point
1. The easy-to-enter, friendly design and product displays that make it enjoyable to discover books, characteristic of a local bookstore.
The latest selection of products and recommendations tailored to what customers in that city are "interested in right now" and "want right now."
2) Creating a smart bookstore experience that can be used safely and stress-free even when unmanned.
By utilizing technology such as remote customer service systems to get closer to customers, we are creating a more comfortable in-store experience.
Overview of "Hontasu Tameike Tameike Sanno Metropia Store"
Scheduled opening: Fall 2023
Address: 2-11-1 Nagatacho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Inside Tokyo Metro Tameike-Sanno Station (near ground level exit 8)
Business hours: 7:00~22:00
Teaser site: https://hontasu.com/
More detailed information will be gradually released via the teaser site, and further news releases are planned.
Please note that this may be subject to change without prior notice.