News Fender to open flagship store in Tokyo

[thomas]

U.S. guitar maker Fender will open its first-ever retail store in Tokyo, "Fender Flagship Tokyo", this June, hoping its hard-rocking brand will appeal to music lovers and people who like their style. It will feature the company's new apparel brand, F Is For Fender, as well as a full array of guitars and a soundproof room for musicians to play loud.

It's all about brand.

The 1,068-sq,-meter emporium will open June 30 in the Harajuku-Omotesando district, a trendy Tokyo neighbourhood hub of fashion and youth culture. The store will be where "people get to experience the Fender brand," Edward Cole, the company's president for Asia-Pacific, told Nikkei Asia. "Fender, throughout history, has not only shaped musical culture ... it's shaped popular culture." [...] Fender estimates that 30 million people worldwide have taken up the guitar since the pandemic. Japan is Fender's third-largest market, behind the U.S. and China. It is the top seller of electric guitars in Japan, with a market share of 35%. Setting up shop in Tokyo has stirred some controversy for Fender, which established a Japanese sales subsidiary in 2015. Cole said some Fender dealers had "concerns" about the guitar maker selling directly to consumers, but "We assured them it would not be competitive."

Paywall alert:

U.S. electric guitar maker Fender picks Japan for first-ever store

Shop featuring hard-rocking brand's new apparel line opens doors this month

asia.nikkei.com