Visitors to Japan are frequently baffled by the array of controls on offer in the average toilet; most are equipped with a warm-water shower and blow-dry option, as well as buttons for opening and closing the lid, playing…
A survey by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry last year revealed that seven million people in Japan, many of them elderly, struggle to make it to the shops – one million more than in 2010. As the country’s…
The importance of having a shop stocking high-quality groceries and provisions on your doorstep, which also provides meaningful interactions, has been reawakened in recent times. These delis are a world away from a soulless…
In the first of a new series of benchmark reports, Monocle puts the UK’s latest convenience store concept through its paces. Can Waitrose’s new baby live up to the standards of Japan’s kings of convenience?
We do a little late-night shopping in Tokyo, where no matter what the time is, there’s always somewhere for a quick, post-night-on-the-tiles pick-me-up.
As the big media store chains disappear, Japan’s most successful book, music and magazine seller has opened a project that challenges everyone. We visit the floors of a refreshed retail landscape.
Despite the convenience of online shopping, a new generation of designers, buyers and entrepreneurs are reaffirming the irreplaceable charms of in-person retail. Here are five new outlets that we admire.
Design is the cornerstone of Msheireb Downtown Doha. A focus on community, technology, convenience and entertainment is integrated into every element. From the premium brands found along Doha’s longest pedestrian-only…
Design is the cornerstone of Msheireb Downtown Doha. A focus on community, technology, convenience and entertainment is integrated into every element. From the premium brands found along Doha’s longest pedestrian-only…
Tokyo-based company Culture Convenience Club brings together quality of life and technology in Tsutaya Electrics. The well-designed shop displays hi-tech products alongside books, plants and plenty of comfy seats.
Most service stations are a means to an end: a quick stop-off beside a motorway to refuel and stretch your legs. But can they be more? We park at cultured conveniences revving things up.