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“I want every day to feel like the leisurely morn- the scent of freshly washed clothes with the lingering
aroma of soap. It makes her feel truly happy. “Those
ing of a holiday. That’s why I named it ‘LAUN- little everyday moments like this enrich our daily
lives. I want every day to feel like the leisurely morn-
DRY HOLIDAY’ because I hope to turn the ev- ing of a holiday. That’s why I named it ‘LAUNDRY
eryday chore of laundry into valuable time.” HOLIDAY’ because I hope to turn the everyday chore
of laundry into valuable time.” Naomi said.
After the renovation, the laundromat received
feedback that people are delighted to have a place
where they can easily drop by and take a break. Ad-
ditionally, while there were many people who used
to come alone for laundry in the past, the inclusion
of the ice cream shop and converting the laundry
folding table into a ping-pong table has attracted
more families and children, making laundry an en-
joyable outing for them.
The architecture company SUPPOSE DESIGN
OFFICE responsible for the renovation is of course
behind the success of LAUNDRY HOLIDAY. The
company is based in Hiroshima and Tokyo, led by
architects Makoto Tanijiri and Ai Yoshida. It has
made a name for itself nationally and abroad, most
notably for commercial interior and residential pro-
jects. There’s that quote on the SUPPOSE DESIGN
OFFICE website, “Just the stars, Even if each one of
them has no meaning or function, But when they are
connected, they are called ‘constellations,’ They give
Twenty-five years ago, Naomi Shinonaga’s fam- risen in recent years. Many individuals are now in New York, USA. After returning to Japan, she at- birth to new meanings. Each tree has a different
ily opened a coin laundry in Shikokuchuo City, and seeking a rich lifestyle while balancing work and tended the MBA program at Waseda University and shape, But when they come together, they are called
they decided to renovate and open LAUNDRY HOL- household chores. As a result, coin laundries have graduated. She has been involved in launching and ‘nature,’ beautiful landscapes.”
IDAY in 2022. The store officially opened on May 22, evolved to provide added value, such as incorporat- managing apparel brands(Koe, Koe green, hotel Koe Naomi believes that one of the distinctive fea-
2022, since then, their sales have increased by 140% ing cafes or co-working spaces, making the time Tokyo, and Koe donuts) as the Brand Manager and tures of SUPPOSE DESIGN OFFICE is their ability to
compared to before the renovation. The corporate spent there more fulfilling and adding design ele- Creative Director of a major Japanese apparel com- add a sense of familiarity to sophisticated spaces and
philosophy of LAUNDRY HOLIDAY, is to create a ments. They have transformed into small, multi-func- pany (STRIPE INTERNATIONAL INC.). Additionally, go above and beyond expectations with their designs.
place like a town’s veranda, where people naturally tional facilities within the community. she has experience in planning and operating new They have had a good relationship since Naomi en-
gather, play ping pong, have some coffee and ice Prior to the renovation, the laundry experience businesses such as cafes and hotels. Similarly, she is trusted them with the design work for the opening
cream, enjoy conversations with friends, and add in LAUNDRY HOLIDAY often involved waiting in cars currently a freelance brand producer in Tokyo. She of hotel koe tokyo in Shibuya, Tokyo during his
color to the everyday lives of people, much like the for the laundry to be completed, which could be quite assists in building brands, primarily in the B2C sector, previous position at an apparel brand. Being from
warm atmosphere that Setouchi offers, even without dull. “Our coin laundry was becoming outdated, we including apparel, food and beverage, and hotel busi- the same Setouchi area, they share a common lan-
the need for laundry. were considering whether to close it down or contin- nesses. She leads a dual lifestyle with bases in both guage when it comes to the local atmosphere and
ue its operation. During this deliberation, I had the Tokyo and Ehime, where the laundromat is located. ingredients. “The fact that they have consistently
Native Power on Natives idea of completely renovating it if we decided to During her time living in New York, she was delivered results that exceeded my imagination in
continue.” Naomi said. At that moment, she came up struck by the sight of people of all ages, backgrounds, past projects was a deciding factor for choosing
According to the observation of Naomi, origi- with the idea of incorporating an ice cream shop, and genders enjoying ice cream at ice cream shops. them.” Naomi said.
nally, coin laundries were considered part of the which he had been contemplating for a while. She Their enthusiasm and the way they savored the ice According to what I mentioned at the begin-
essential infrastructure for Japanese daily life, shift- wished to turn the waiting time into a more enriching cream left a lasting impression on her. “I was inspired ning, their sales have increased by 140% compared
ing from a function that primarily washed everyday experience and considered adding additional content by the idea of running an ice cream shop, something to before the renovation. This validates the con-
clothing to one that accommodated larger items like to the laundry business. I had wanted to do for a while, and thought it would clusions noted in the report “Entrepreneurial Eco-
bedding. However, with the changing lifestyles due The idea has to do with Naomi’s upbringing. She be fascinating to combine it with the laundry busi- systems: The Foundations of Place-based Renewal”,
to the increase in dual-income households, the need now is the CEO and Creative Director of COSMOS ness.” Naomi said. which says entrepreneurship has a key role to play
for the convenience of time-s aving in laundry, TRADING INC., the company that operates YOSHIO Naomi loves to think about that moment when in innovating the renewal of place and the value
whether for everyday clothing or larger items, has ICE CREAM. She gained experience in marketing while you wake up slowly on a holiday morning and catch creation of entrepreneurs takes precedence.

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