JR unveils line up for Lucua 1100

JR West will open the second section of its Lucua SC in April, with eight Isetan stores and another 150 tenants, making it the biggest station SC in the country and providing yet more competition for the Umeda area in Osaka.

The former Isetan-Mitsukoshi Osaka will reopen 2 April as Lucua 1100, a few days earlier than expected. Lucia 1100 (pronounced Lucua ii-re in Japanese, a play on the reading of the numbers and the German ‘ihre‘) will offer eight Isetan specialty stores, and host stores new to Kansai such as Pal‘s Colony 2139 apparel supermarket (see Page 8), Estnation, Nano Universe Library and Indispendible Strasburgo among the 158 tenants. 27 stores will be new in Japan and 34 new to Western Japan.

Included will be character goods stores from Disney and Kiki & Lala, as well as newly arrived US make-your-own-accessories chain Brooklyn Charm, and Traditional Weatherwear from the UK. Major chains will include Old Navy, Flying Tiger and Forever 21. Of the 33,000 sqm in Lucua 1100, Isetan will operate 13,000 sqm across several floors.

The combined SC will comprise 53,000 sqm and will be the largest station SC in the country. Lucua 1100 will primarily target women aged around 30, a decade older than the original Lucua next door. JR West expects sales of ¥77 billion a year from 70 million customers, about 20% more than Isetan-Mitsukoshi originally achieved from the same space.

To emphasise the shift to small format select shops, the Isetan stores come with new logos, featuring a lower case ‘i’.

The first, isetan Urban Market, will sell fashion and other accessories, and is expected to be a model store for a future chain of accessories stores targeting younger women.

The other main Isetan stores will be isetan Cosmetics, distinct from Isetan Make & Mirror in being a more upscale store, and isetan Closet, selling men‘s and women‘s fashions similar to the 2nd and 3rd floors of Isetan Shinjuku, and which will also include the Shinjuku event space, The Stage. isetan Seasonal Selection will be on the street level of Lucua 1100 and will sell a mix of gifts, accessories, and other impulse purchases. In the basement isetan Shoes & Bags will sell a large selection of overseas brands and store branded lines – a total of 6,000 SKUs across nine zones organised by lifestyle. The other three stores will be a food store in the basement, isetan Accessories selling jewellery and other accessories including bridal wear, and isetan Men‘s Style.