CASE2_Goro Nakatsugawa, owner of "MIN-NANO
There is something that can only be found there. All stores that make you want to go out of your way to visit them fulfill this element. Although many stores now advocate this concept, "Minnano" in Ikenoue is a pioneer among local select stores. The owner of Minnano, Mr. Goro, is also known as a bicycle enthusiast by both himself and others. He first encountered bicycles when he was in elementary school. He started modifying it as soon as he bought it, and after that, he always rode it to school and other places. After the piste boom in the early 2000s, he is currently obsessed with vintage BMXs.
His current favorite car is the KUWAHARA "KZ-1" made in 1981. It is said to be the model that Elliot, the main character in the movie "E.T.," rode in the movie, and its popularity is still strong today, making it a coveted item for movie fans. The bag that Mr. GORO, who loves vintage BMX, ordered was a model with many features that would be great for parents with small children, as Mr. GORO says that raising children is fun these days.
When you go out with your family on holidays and you have a small child, there are many things to do, such as changing diapers and feeding milk, and other such pressing situations often arise. It would be great if your favorite bag has convenient functions and options for such situations. I think there are only a few brands of bags in Japan that are made from the perspective of parents with children. This is especially true for messenger-type bags. Timbuktu's custom bags are also very appealing and friendly to people in my position.
Custom-ordering makes it easy to try out unusual colors.
GORO says that having a child has made him demand a different level of performance from his previous bags. Even so, he says that he still cannot compromise on his commitment to design. We asked him about the design of the bag he ordered this time.
The color scheme was inspired by the innovative coloring that would not have been possible with ready-made bags when individual orders were the norm. In my opinion, carrying a bag with a crazy pattern like this on your back is the proper way for an overseas messenger who loves "Timbuktu". The combination of gray with luminescent paint and yellow, which is also an emergency color, may seem like a mismatch at first glance, but I think it is safe to ride at night and is a must for cyclists. In this day and age, there are not many people who choose this kind of eccentric coloring, and it is not easy to develop original products, so in that sense, I think it is easier to take the plunge with a custom order.
Messenger bag for cyclists with small children. While maintaining the look and feel of a standard model, the bag covers a variety of personal effects for on-the-go use. It is equipped with a padded mat for changing diapers and a bottle pocket for storing baby bottles. The straps on the body are detachable, and it also has a Vista loop for attaching a blinky light, making it perfectly functional. W46 x H31 x D19cm ¥28,000-
Looking at the finished bag, GORO looked unexpectedly satisfied. For Mr. GORO, who has encountered many bags over the years and has repeatedly tried and tested to find the one he loves, bag selection is an essential part of his lifestyle, just like choosing a bicycle.
In the 1990s, online stores were not that developed, and it was commonplace to visit a store in person to have the items you wanted to buy inspected before making a purchase. However, with the development of the Internet, the time has come for private sales of not only domestic but also foreign brands, and I always feel that our shopping options are expanding. This custom-order web service is also in line with the times, so it is convenient for people who live far from a store or who are usually busy. Of course, as a store owner, I would like to do business face to face, but I realized that it is even more important to provide a convenient service to as many people as possible. Another advantage of ordering on the web is that you can take your time and worry about it without worrying about it. In fact, there were so many options and color variations that I myself was quite worried about it (laughs). (Laughs) I guess I am enjoying that kind of time with a fresh mind now.
Goro Nakatsugawa
He has a deep knowledge of the street scene in Japan and abroad, and opened the select store "Minnano" in Ikenoue in 2009. He has been using bicycles since he was young, and his current favorite machine is KUWAHARA "KZ-1" made in 1981. He is affectionately called "GORO-san" by his friends.