Interview with Mr. Arinobu, the manager of Patisserie Piaget
Patisserie Piaget will celebrate its 32nd anniversary in 2022.
We asked Mr. Arinobu, the manager, about his thoughts on the shop and Kojima.
Can you tell us about the history of the shop?
Arinobu
It will be 32 years in 2022.
Originally, we had our shop located in a building near Ueno-machi Station on the JR Seto-Ohashi Line.
We were there for 12 years, and now we have been at the current Kojima Main Store for 20 years.
My father was the first owner, and I am the second generation.
My grandfather also sold buns at "Arinobu Seika" in Tamano, so if we consider sweets as a category, I would be the third generation.
Can you tell us about the features of the shop?
Arinobu
One of the characteristics is that we have many denim-related products, such as Denim Kuchen and Denim Financier.
Kojima is known as the birthplace of domestic denim and has been called the holy land of denim.
I wanted to utilize the local Kojima, so we sell products that use blue.
Originally, we did not sell blue cakes or anything like that 10 years ago.
However, now that we are in the age of social media, I feel that customers' sense of color has expanded.
With the rise of convenience store sweets and various specialty shops like tart shops, I thought that utilizing the local area would lead to differentiation.
To attract customers, we need to present something that is different from others.
In that sense, denim has been a very significant weapon.
Blue is a color that reduces appetite, but I wanted to push out something that would pique customers' curiosity even more.
The development story of Denim
Can you tell us about your main products and popular menu items?
Arinobu
It has to be Denim.
Originally, Denim Kuchen was the most popular.
We use homemade Baumkuchen with Kojima salt, and through technological innovation, we use the blue of gardenia for the coating.
We have been sharing information on social media, and the number of customers asking for Denim Kuchen through online shopping has been increasing.
However, I always felt that just having Denim Kuchen was not enough to make a decisive impact.
Customers from the Kojima area often come, but to attract customers from Kurashiki and the northern part of Okayama City, we definitely need the power of fresh sweets.
Especially for baked goods, if customers can order online, they don't need to come to the shop.
That’s why I wanted to quickly develop fresh sweets that cannot be bought online, which would make customers want to come and eat them.
For the mousse, which makes up a large part of the flavor, we have made it a salt vanilla mousse by adding salt.
I knew that the combination of vanilla ice cream and salt is delicious, and if we use blue, the white color of the vanilla mousse will stand out as a contrast.
The round shape was chosen not only because the glaze looks beautiful on it but also because I wanted to keep it as simple as possible.
For customers, just the fact that it is a blue cake is already a strong statement, and if the shape is also special, it becomes too much information.
Therefore, I thought that to introduce something blue to the world, a simple design would be more accepted.
Being born and raised in Kojima, I feel that there is a meaning in selling this Denim.
About the past and future
Can you tell us about your feelings towards the shop?
Arinobu
I did not go to a vocational school; I went to university to study economics.
This is because I believe that in the future, it will be important not only to make delicious cakes but also to think about how to sell them.
Rather than just creating the ultimate product, I want to convey the joy and fun of coming to our shop while allowing more people to enjoy the local flavor.
Did you originally plan to make cakes when you entered university?
Arinobu
Yes, going to a four-year university was a turning point for me.
I really think it was good that I went to university.
It was not just about learning about money, but I was able to interact with various people.
Having grown up only in Kojima, I think my values expanded significantly through interacting with various people.
I also worked part-time at a convenience store.
Through that, I learned the importance of communication.
When making cakes, if you only focus on the cakes themselves, you won't see the bigger picture.
By communicating with people from other industries and understanding the world situation, unique ideas can be born.
Is there anything you want to do in the future?
Arinobu
I want to strengthen our online presence.
In times of epidemics or significant events when people cannot go out, I believe that increasing opportunities for more customers to purchase will be through online means.
However, for that, it is necessary to devise cake photos and texts that enhance purchasing awareness on smartphones.
Looking at it from a more long-term perspective, I also want to focus on the lives of the employees who work at our shop.
Honestly, in today's world, information and equipment are abundant, and it has become easy to make sweets at home.
You can find molds at 100 yen shops, and you can purchase molds used by professionals through online shopping.
In that context, one might wonder if it is necessary to become a patissier.
Indeed, you can make sweets at home, but as a patissier, you can experience the gratitude of customers face-to-face every day.
When serving customers, hearing them say, "It was really delicious," or seeing them enjoy the sweets is what I believe is the true fulfillment of being a patissier.
I want to increase such opportunities and experiences.
But for that, we first need to ensure the shop's profitability.
Without profitability, it will be difficult to build a business model.
First and foremost, I want to communicate the charm of our shop while ensuring that I create safe and delicious cakes.
Conclusion
Patisserie Piaget, loved by the locals in Kojima.
I felt the passionate thoughts of Mr. Arinobu towards his shop, and his words, "In this era, we must think about how to sell, not just make delicious sweets," left a strong impression on me.
Even for a single cake, Mr. Arinobu's various thoughts and considerations are packed into it.
Whether you visit Kojima or not, please try the sweets from Patisserie Piaget.
I believe you can learn about the charm and history of Kojima through these sweets.
Data of Patisserie Piaget Kojima Main Store
| Name | Patisserie Piaget Kojima Main Store |
|---|---|
| Address | 2-1583-49 Shimonochō, Kojima, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 086-472-1605 |
| Parking | Available Can accommodate 8 cars |
| Business Hours | 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM |
| Regular Holidays | Irregular holidays |
| Payment Methods |
|
| Reservation | Not accepted |
| Seating | 24 seats inside: 4 terrace seats |
| Smoking | Completely non-smoking |
| Toilet | Western-style toilet |
| Website | Patisserie Piaget |
