The foundation of business lies in "fit."

This series follows Dentsu Inc.'s 'Company Design' team as they uncover the secrets behind 'vibrant companies' with 'originality.' In the 16th installment, we explore Yabuuchi Watch & Eyeglass Store, a fifth-generation optician based in central Fukushima who renovated its own building to attract diverse tenants such as a cafeteria, florist, and gallery, thereby developing a multi-faceted business. We delve into the essence of their management philosophy.

Yabuuchi-kun and I go way back. I deliberately call him Yabuuchi-kun, but I'm on friendly terms with President Yabuuchi of Yabuuchi Watch & Eyeglass Shop, including in our private lives. He's the fifth-generation owner of a long-established eyeglass shop. That alone commands nothing but respect, even from a friend. Yet, he's an incredibly cheerful and friendly guy. That's precisely why he draws so many people to him.

The image of an independently owned eyeglass shop in a shopping district is that of a small, family-run business. Yet, President Yabuuchi says he wants the building housing his shop to be like "a town unto itself." What exactly does he mean?

I myself work as an art director at Dentsu Inc. My core focus is "design and direction." When designing or directing, I often keenly feel that there are things more important than teamwork, the spirit of the times, or the people we ultimately reach—things like the worldview I want to create. I want to learn the essence of that from Yabuuchi-kun—no, President Yabuuchi—once again this time.

Written by: Taiju Yoshimori (Dentsu Inc. 1CRP Bureau)

Yabuuchi Watch & Eyeglass Store:
Founded in 1875 (Meiji 8), the first-generation Yabuuchi Yumigoro established Yabuuchi Clock Shop atop a storehouse in Omachi, Fukushima City. At the time, clocks were precious items, and with few technicians and retailers, the business of selling and repairing clocks thrived. The second and third generations continued as a clock shop, but the advent of quartz watches led to lower prices for timepieces, worsening the business.
Sensing crisis, the fourth-generation owner took bold action: completely renovating the store and differentiating its products, transforming the business from a watch shop into an eyewear specialty store. However, the new products were not well received, leading to a difficult period for the business. This spirit of challenge has been passed down to the current fifth-generation president. Multi-faceted challenges anticipating the times—building renovations, tenant recruitment, event planning—are truly part of the DNA of Yabuuchi Watch & Eyewear.

"Comrades" and the Meaning of Standing Together

Yabuuchi Watch & Eyeglass Store is located in a mixed-use building on Fukushima Prefectural Office Street, right in the heart of Fukushima Prefecture. Founded in 1875 (Meiji 8), it is a long-established store among long-established stores. We spoke with its owner this time. The approach of President Yabuuchi, the fifth-generation owner, is quite unique.

You might picture a typical neighborhood optical shop in a mixed-use building: an elderly couple selling glasses on the first floor, with their living quarters on the second or third. Yabuuchi Watch & Optical Store is different. The first floor is the eyeglass shop "OPTICAL YABUUCHI," the second floor houses a florist and a record shop, and the third floor is a restaurant and an art gallery. It's almost chaotic. Overseeing it all is the young manager of the eyeglass shop, Mr. Yoshihisa Yabuuchi.

Mr. Yabuuchi originally aspired to be a product designer. He left his hometown of Fukushima for a vocational school in Tokyo. From there, he also studied abroad in London. After returning to Japan, he even worked at a trendy Tokyo lifestyle shop. Underlying all this was an impulse to design something with his own hands. His turning point, he says, came when his father told him to return to the family home in Fukushima. Honestly, he felt downcast at the prospect of becoming the owner of a provincial eyeglass shop.

Yoshihisa Yabuuchi:
Born in Fukushima City in 1979, he moved to Tokyo after graduating from a local commercial high school. He enrolled in an optical school to study eyewear, then worked at a lifestyle goods store in Jiyugaoka. He went to England in 2003 aiming for a design university but returned to Japan.
Joined OPTICAL YABUUCHI in 2004, DIY-built and opened a store on the 2nd floor of this building. Renovated vacant tenant space DIY-style, opening the record shop "LITTLE BRID" on the 2nd floor in 2012. Held numerous events during this period.
In 2014, "OPTICAL YABUUCHI" was renovated and reopened on the first floor. That same year, the flower shop "TOLAL PLANTS BLOOM" opened on the second floor. In 2016, "Shokudo Hitoto" was invited to open on the third floor. In 2017, the gallery "OOMACHI GALLERY" opened on the third floor. We continue to challenge the potential and expandability of our own building, such as renovating the rooftop and building a hut in the plaza beside the building.

"When I revisited my family's building, it was just a run-down multi-tenant space. The first floor housed an old-fashioned, unremarkable eyeglass shop. The second floor had a seedy-looking snack bar. The third floor was a mahjong parlor. When my father told me to take over the eyeglass shop, I knew I had to do something about this place. Fortunately, I had some design skills. I decided to redesign this multi-tenant building myself."

Redesign wasn't just about making it look stylish. It was about finding like-minded "comrades" who would gather in this building. "It's a tiny building in downtown Fukushima, but people came together saying, 'Let's do something here, let's offer something from this place.' Before that, honestly, I'd only been thinking about how to make use of my design skills."

What it means to be close to the "town"

President Yabuuchi recalls a pivotal moment in his life, sparked by words from someone special. It came from a fellow angler, a hobby buddy: "Yabuuchi-kun. Play seriously, and work joyfully." Looking back, President Yabuuchi says it was a revelation.

"Honestly, I was feeling down, wondering if I'd just spend my whole life as the owner of an eyeglass shop in Fukushima. But as I redesigned our company building and gathered people around me, I realized this wasn't just about the building. Couldn't we connect more deeply with the town itself? That's when the idea struck me: maybe enjoying work means exactly that."

He tried organizing an event with his team. The response was surprisingly positive. "That's when I realized: design capability isn't just about designing eyeglass frames or renovating our own building. To put it a bit grandly, even the owner of a tiny eyeglass shop could contribute to designing the town, or designing Fukushima."

What it means to be close to "Fukushima"

"When renovating our own building, the first thing I focused on was 'atmosphere.' It's about the building's scent, its presence, that kind of atmosphere. People with similar values who resonate with that naturally gather around. The same goes for customers."

Isn't that the same for the Fukushima area? President Yabuuchi suddenly realized one day. He described Fukushima as a place that's kind of in-between. It's not a major city like Tokyo, Osaka, or Fukuoka. Yet, it's not a remote, isolated countryside either. Overlaid on that is the image of the earthquake disaster. Couldn't we change that "atmosphere"?

Yabuuchi-kun's (I deliberately call him Yabuuchi-kun) point made me pause. As an art director myself, I also prioritize "atmosphere." Perhaps it's the values that create that atmosphere. Something that resonates with colleagues and the world. I constantly wonder if we can create something that excites everyone.

President Yabuuchi says, "I suddenly realized I'd been labeling Fukushima myself. Like, 'Fukushima? There's nothing there anyway.' But then I felt this burning frustration! That's when I started thinking, 'What can I do about it?' Of course, what a single eyeglass shop in a small town can do is pretty limited (laughs)."

Walking alongside the "times"

President Yabuuchi says he doesn't know how long the eyeglass shop business can continue. "Something incredible might replace contact lenses. Eye drops that restore vision with just one drop might be invented. That's just how the times are, I think. But if you have the spirit to walk alongside those changes in the times, to walk alongside the voices of your customers and the community, you'll find a way."

President Yabuuchi points out that Tokyo is, above all, a city of "all-out sprinting." While it may indeed be a city leading the times, precisely because it sprints at full force, it often runs out of steam. Fukushima is not a city that sprints itself into exhaustion. He wants to draw out the positive qualities of the "looseness," in the best sense, that flows through this city.

Staying Close to the "Customer"

"I think this applies to any business," President Yabuuchi concluded the interview. "Ultimately, what matters most is being close to your 'customers.' The 'looseness' that flows through Fukushima can also be described as warmth. It's about shops recommending other shops to their own customers, things like that."

President Yabuuchi keeps the phrase "Opening a shop door is like opening the entrance to the town" close to his heart. It's not about pushing sales. He wants people to fall in love with this town, with Fukushima. Whether that spark comes from eyeglasses, a diner, or a gallery. With this belief, President Yabuuchi continues crafting one-of-a-kind eyeglasses by hand every day.

OPTICAL YABUUCHI:
Wanting to carry on the store brand established by the previous owner, he kept the name and commissioned design from his friend's company, Akaoni, in Yamagata. The logo combines the word "OPTICAL," signifying optics and vision, with curves representing concave and convex lenses.

Visit Yabuuchi Watch & Eyeglass Store's website here.

Season 2 of Dentsu Inc. 'Company Design' team's series exploring the secrets of 'vibrant companies' with 'originality.' Episode 16 introduced Yabuuchi Watch & Eyeglass Store, which operates diverse businesses in central Fukushima.

The Season 1 series can be found here.
The "Company Design" project site is here.

[Editor's Note]

During this interview, there was one thing I absolutely had to ask President Yabuuchi. Shops like tofu makers and fishmongers in nostalgic shopping districts tend to close down one after another. Yet, strangely enough (though it might be rude to say so), opticians seem to thrive. Why is that? Especially when large chain stores selling low-priced items are so highly touted.

President Yabuuchi's answer was clear. "I believe the crucial factor is after-sales service." It's not just about making the sale and calling it a day. When a customer says, "My frames feel wobbly somehow," or "I used to see clearly, but lately my vision's been blurry," the shop responds meticulously. That, President Yabuuchi says, is the foundation of an eyeglass store. "It's said that 80% of the information people receive comes through their eyes. Eyeglasses are the tools that support that. The greatest joy is knowing we're entrusted with such an important role."

He wants to "fit" with people, with the community, with the times. This comment offered a glimpse into President Yabuuchi's heart.