Cibone Aoyama — Local services in Tokyo

CIBONE is an exceptional store—but only in extremes. On one hand, the buyer’s curatorial eye is remarkable, and the selection reflects a refined sensibility. On the other, the “customer service” is so lacking and unbearable that it ruins the entire experience. The above-average quality of curation simply doesn’t justify the rudeness and incompetence of the intolerable staff. Here are more details about why I wouldn’t recommend it:

I found the staff’s egregiously bad manners odd given the clientele this store presumably aims to attract. With its premium pricing and location, it wouldn’t be unusual for curators, collectors, or design professionals to shop here, whether sourcing for themselves, an institution, or a client. That, at least, was what I was doing. These are valuable streams of revenue to lose over poor attitude.

This location also occasionally functions like a gallery, exhibiting work by local artists. But based on my visit, I seriously doubt the staff has the knowledge, interest, or basic enthusiasm to engage with customers, let alone advocate for the artists they display. Of course, it isn’t a formal gallery, so a background in art history or fine arts is probably optional to work here, but you’d expect, at the very least, some appreciation for the beautiful objects they’re selling.

To share a concrete example: I visited today in search of a specific bookend (nothing special, but I knew for sure this store carried it in person). At one point, I debated whether it was worth the trip to their Ginza Six location—which admittedly also has questionable service—solely because the staff at this branch were SO insufferable.

When I tried to speak to a manager (in Japanese, my native tongue), she looked—no, side-eyed me—several times without properly acknowledging me. Eventually, she muttered a flat “Please wait” and pursed her lips in annoyance—all of this, while also holding an impromptu meeting with staff members during peak hours behind a transparent curtain, in full view of waiting customers. It was a strange and condescending atmosphere. I almost laughed because it was all SO ridiculous and melodramatic.

To make matters somehow worse, the attendant who eventually (and very begrudgingly) agreed to help me informed me that there was no bag large enough for my purchase, and taped a makeshift handle directly onto the box. While this is standard, the way it was done—lopsided, with only one shallow handle barely hanging on—made it extremely difficult to carry. Additionally, they didn’t even bother wrapping the exposed cardboard box so of course on the one day I didn’t take a car, I had to practically drag a very visually and physically disruptive box crowded trains and streets. The latter complaint is very “Kim, there’s people that are dying” of me, but a basic understanding of weight distribution shouldn’t be too much to ask from a high-end design store.

Ultimately, while the merchandise may be thoughtfully chosen, the experience of shopping here is not. If you’re spending over ¥15,000, it’s worth considering whether your hard-earned money is better spent elsewhere—CIBONE’s selection isn’t so unique that alternatives don’t exist (for example, every luxury lifestyle and design store in Tokyo and abroad carries HAY, one of the most well-represented brands at...

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