“Everyone pays attention to what is right before his eyes. What sets a manufacturer apart is giving painstaking detail to what is not readily visible.“ This quote by Tosuka Nishida, the founder of Goldwin, is written on a wall of the main Neutralworks store in Tokyo. And it might fully express, what makes this concept store of the Japanese sportswear manufacturer so state-of-the-art. On three floors Neutralworks unveils a minimalist architecture mainly using natural materials such as wood, decorated with plenty of plants that create a warm and organic counterpart to the displayed futuristic garments and gadgets.
Two Neutralworks stores in Tokyo stock everything one needs for an active and healthy lifestyle, from indoor to outdoor clothes and gear–under the same brand and from the other Goldwin trademarks including The Northface, Elesse, Speedo, Danskin and Helly Hansen. A café offers hydrogen-enriched water, warm beverages, freshly made smoothies and superfood meals. Furthermore, various services are offered. A fully equipped stretch room is used to give multiple classes all around stretching and conditioning. In another exercise room with controlled oxygen levels one can effectively spin or run under real outdoor conditions. The hydrogen inhalation station supports the body separating toxic oxygen from active oxygen, which is formed during the process where cells generate energy and turn the toxic oxygen into water, which is then expelled from the body. This naturally adjusts the balance of the body that humans originally possess. You can let them check your body composition including your weight and fat percentage, as well as your body water, degree of obesity, posture and even the muscle density in each section of your body. They measure your physical condition to improve your performance, be it a quick and classic check or on a high-pro level using software that is based on measurements including eye movement control and peripheral vision.
So, coming back to the initial quote, one can say, Goldwin is not only manufacturing sportswear garments but manufacturing an athlete lifestyle. Understanding that for the Japanese group being active is a holistic procedure that includes every sphere of life, its store concept Neutralworks is nothing less than the realization of that belief and a logical conclusion of the corporate model of not to be content with a beautiful surface but diving deep into the matter. Neutralworks however, dives deeply into its customers by understanding their taste and needs down to their blood pressure.
It’s like it is taking the spirit of the fast forward laboratories at Goldwin to the POS to blend lifestyle, retail with science and create a 360 degree outdoor experience. And it only seems to be a stone’s throw away that retail spots like Neutralworks will take over first medical care, hiring orthopedists, osteopaths and nutritionists. A trend that breaks through in different fields these days, when bed retailers install sleep labs as realized by German chain Bettenrid or when ready-to-wear suppliers work with body scanner that can be connected to your favorite workout app, as planned by British company bodi.me.
So Neutralworks offers a one-stop retail solution for athletes on a professional level providing all gear and knowledge that is needed to live an active life. And clearly the concept can and will be pushed much further in the future. Creating a little bit of convenience for the customers who, apart from that, have chosen not to grant themselves any little comfort zone.
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