【大須】ミッドセンチュリー・ヴィンテージ家具専門店「Palm Springs(パームスプリングス)」古き良きアメリカの良さがここにある。

Osu, Naka-ku, Nagoya
Posting date: 2018.02.15
【大須】ミッドセンチュリー・ヴィンテージ家具専門店「Palm Springs(パームスプリングス)」古き良きアメリカの良さがここにある。

「Palm Springs(パームスプリングス)」は約10年前から名古屋市中区大須にて、ミッドセンチュリーのヴィンテージ家具を販売しているお店。ミッドセンチュリーとは、「1世紀の中間」という意味。インテリアの世界では主に、1940〜1960年代にデザインされた家具や建築物を指します。パームスプリングスでは、アメリカやヨーロッパより、一点一点納得いくもののみを直接買い付けしています。

This time, we interviewed the owners, Umihiko and Miwa Nagasaki, about the history of the shop and their thoughts on mid-century furniture.

 Started from warehouse in the middle of the field.

パームスプリングスの店内
A Palm Springs store in Osu, Naka-ku, Nagoya. About 5 minutes on foot from Osu Kannon Station.
ミッドセンチュリーの家具The interior of the store is lined with furniture from the mid-century era purchased from America and Europe.

Palm Springs celebrates its 13th anniversary this year. First, we asked them about the birth of the shop.

Umihiko: "In fact, I had no plans to start a store at all. I used to work for a company that made furniture, and I wanted to work in furniture restoration. But there were no such jobs, and there were no such stores. I happened to know a Japanese person living in the U.S., so I said, "Let's just go there!" and went to the U.S. to buy. ”

Miwa: “Since he went furniture shopping first, we needed a place for the time being, and we needed some space to move the furniture, so we decided to rent a warehouse in the middle of a field in Kitanagoya City. Basically, we are a give-and-see type of person. We just go there and think about it. Our style is to do, see, and then think."

創業当時のPalm Springsの店舗
Original Palm Springs store

Umihiko: “We had a lot of space, so we decided to open a shop for the first time. But it wasn't that easy to sell.

Miwa: “As a store, it was in a bad location and did not sell well at all. In the meantime, time went on and on. Neither of us had much experience in sales, and neither of us had any experience at all in interior design. We just had a love of furniture and a desire to restore it. But after about a year, we realized that no one would come to us even if we were operating in the middle of a field like this, so we rushed out to Osu.”

Decided to relocate to Osu

Palm Springs

antique miscellaneous goodsIn addition to furniture, they also handle accessories such as lighting, clocks, etc.

About a year and a half has passed since the store opened in Kitanagoya. A Nagasaki couple decided to move to Osu. They used to operate in another location in Osu, but they moved to their current location about 7 years ago.

Miwa: "By coming to Osu, I really felt that it was different. Many people left right away, but the chances of getting to know the store have increased dramatically. But The damage from the warehouse days still remained, and we were desperate to make up for it. We wanted to move to a bigger store, but it was quite a challenge.”

Umihiko: "So, we were thinking about moving only if there was a good place."

Miwa: “I had said I would take my time and look for a place over the next year or so, but the day after I started looking, I came across this place and fell in love with it. I thought it was fate. At the time, we were still renting a warehouse in Kitanagoya for storage, but it was difficult to get people to come to Kitanagoya to see our furniture. We decided to take the plunge and relocate here."

Named after a place of memories

Palm Springs store exterior

Next, we learned about the origin of the store name, “Palm Springs.” Palm Springs is a retro resort area located about 170km from Los Angeles. Many modern buildings remain, and it is also famous as a vintage city.

Miwa: "The name Palm Springs came from what happened when I went to America for the first time."

Umihiko: “We arrived there and bought a map for now and rented a car. I wanted to see the Grand Canyon, so I said, "Let's just go east!" and I drove on. It was getting dark, and the first town we stayed in was Palm Springs. ”

Miwa: "It wasn't a tour or anything like that, we went there without any plans at all. However, when we stayed in Palm Springs, we felt that we could do it even we were abroad, and that's how we decided to name the store. But I had no idea at the time that Palm Springs was a city famous for vintage, and now I think what a wonderful name we named it. I feel that there is a link with all of us - the furniture, the period, the building."

Umihiko: "But when I was asked the name of our store in America, and I answered 'Palm Springs', I was a little awkward because I was asked 'Are you running such an amazing store in Japan?' (laughs) "

Want people to know America at its classiest, in its best times.

palm springs

Miwa: “He does most of the buying, but he only sees mid-century stuff like this. It's not about what will sell or won't sell, it's about what he likes, and his antennae seem to go off. Even when I ask him, "Do you think this would sell?" he says, "Hmmm." and doesn't react anymore. He does most of the buying, but he only sees mid-century stuff like this. It's not about what will sell or won't sell, it's about what he likes, and his antennae seem to go off. Even when I ask him, "Do you think this would sell?" he says, "Hmmm." and doesn't react anymore. "

Umihiko: “To begin with, men of our generation like America. There are many people who like motorcycles, cars, and the American atmosphere. However, when you actually go to America, you will find that such things are only a part of the picture, and the beautiful part of America like mid-century furniture is not introduced at all. I learned that America at its best, at its most elegant, is the most fascinating. "

Miwa: “For better or worse, in the past, the only information that came in was through the paper media. I had an image of what it would be like in the U.S., but that was only part of the story. Of course, I think that culture is good, and I don't dislike it, but as we were able to learn about a more refined part of America, I thought it was important to keep that part of the culture alive and pass it on. "

Umihiko: "There is a quality that is unique to this era. There is nothing else like it before or after. What's good about it is that it's the only one. "

Purchasing is hunting. Effort to find things.

Grand Canyon

buying in america
How to buy in America

Palm Springs purchases mid-century-era furniture from around the world, including the United States and Europe. They check, clean and repair the purchased furniture by ourselves. We also asked about such purchases.

Umihiko: "We buy about 3-4 times a year. We spend about 2 weeks visiting dealers and going to flea markets."

Miwa: “It takes about two weeks for the container to fill up. I think there are many people who would like to post furniture on social media and ask, ‘Do you want this?’ Hoever, we don't buy it if he doesn't like it. We don't buy anything at some stores. So, if you don't spend time, we won't be able to gather enough. ”

Umihiko: “I only have a few items that I really want. Purchasing is like hunting. I also look for what customers say they want. Compared to the past, vintage furniture has become more expensive and depleted. Even at local flea markets, it is getting harder to find. But that makes my customers happy, so I make an effort to find things."

At Palm Springs, they always accept requests such as "I want this product from this manufacturer" and "I want something similar to a sold product". Even if they don't have it in the store, they can introduce it from the stock, or they can get it in the next purchase, so please feel free to contact them.

▼You can check the stock products from here before they are displayed in stores or on the web store.
http://www.palm-springs.jp/stock.html

Vintage furniture market changes with the times

ミッドセンチュリーの家具

Palm Springs, which mainly buys in the United States, says that the local vintage market has changed significantly in the last few years.

Miwa: “We used to buy mainly in Los Angeles. The climate was nice and it was an easy place to put containers out. But we hardly go there anymore. The popularity of vintage in the U.S. has become so high that it has become a difficult place to buy. Even when we started, when we talked about doing this kind of business, people would say, `You're doing it now?' It was already a little late.”

Umihiko: "We were said, 'You can't make money doing that (laughs).'"

Miwa: "About 20 years ago, when secondhand clothing was in its prime, furniture didn't get much attention in the United States, and it was easy to buy. There's a lot of stuff, it's cheap, and it's easy to collect. However, as time passed, it became more antique and attracted a lot of attention. In about five years, the price has changed completely."

Umihiko: “Nowadays, furniture from the mid-century era is very popular in America, so prices are high.”

イームズのチェアOn display on the table is an Eames chair that the owner Umihiko likes the most.

Miwa: “About three years ago, we started going to Europe. Since we had been buying British furniture in the U.S., we knew in the back of our minds that there was such a thing, so we decided to go take a look. There are also some interesting European lighting products. Even if we are not in the U.S., we have been buying items from the mid-century period, as if it were a distribution map of the various countries and things connected by time periods. At the moment, I am mainly interested in Germany, Belgium, Holland, and France. I would also like to visit Italy, but it is difficult to go there because of the distance."

Umihiko: "After all, it's hard to drive by yourself when the distance is long. But in Europe, the roads are clean, the fuel consumption is good, and it's easy to drive."

Miwa "We're starting to go to Europe now, but I'm wondering where to go next. Purchases and sales are not stable, and it seems like we're still making a decision (laughs)."

Purchased directly and repaired by ourselves.

リペアの様子How the furniture is repaired

Despite overcoming various hardships and difficulties, the two of them have continued to run with only the feeling of "We love mid-century furniture." We would like to introduce some of the carefully selected furniture and interiors that are filled with the thoughts of these two people.

In Palm Springs, they see, touch, sit, and buy directly. And they check all products in their own repair workshop and perform cleaning and repairing.

AVALON社製ユニットシェルフFront: AVALON unit shelf ¥230,000 (+ tax) / Back: Nathan sideboard ¥175,000 (+ tax)

After more than 50 years, it is the painting that has deteriorated significantly. At the repair workshop on the second floor of the store, they repaint the table tops and most of these wooden pieces. The paint is thin enough to bring out the texture and grain of the wood, so you can enjoy the texture of the furniture as it is.

パームスプリングスオリジナルソファPalm Springs original sofa (yellow) ¥ 180,000 (+ tax)

This is an original three-seat sofa, reproduced with the design of a vintage sofa, taking into account size and safety. Production is commissioned to a Japanese sofa manufacturer. The color can be selected from 10 colors. The price is reasonable and it blends easily with any design of furniture and rooms, so there are many orders from people other than vintage lovers.

forest building sunburst clockForestville Sunburst Clock ¥38,000 (+ tax)

Around the 1950s when space development was popular, furniture and interiors with the theme of "space" such as this wall clock increased. One of the pleasures of vintage furniture is that you can enjoy it together with the historical background and story.

BROYHILL Side BoardBROYHILL Side Board ¥24,000 (+ tax)

The Brasilia series is especially popular among Palm Springs furniture. Brasilia is the name of the capital of Brazil, and the design of buildings such as the government official residence is used. The design that feels the strength of the American mid-century is attractive, and many people are collecting it in the series.

Wall Screen
Wall Screen ¥75,000 + installation fee

And Palm Springs isn't just about furniture sales. They give advice from various angles when purchasing furniture and interiors, such as how to choose furniture, consultation on placement, planning for lighting, and repairs. Please feel free to bring your own plans and drawings.

Palm Springs

パームスプリングスは、「ミッドセンチュリーの家具が好き」「ずっと前から使われてきた家具を自分たちの手で修理・修復し、この先をずっと残していきたい」という長崎ご夫婦の真っ直ぐな想いが詰まったお店でした。

東海エリアでも、ここまでミッドセンチュリーの家具・インテリアに特化したお店はなかなかないのではないでしょうか。ヴィンテージ好きな方はぜひ一度足を運んでみてはいかがでしょうか。

Spot Details

【Palm Springs】
Adress: 1-4-7 Osu, Naka-ku, Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture 
Phone number: 052-222-7111
Open hours: 12:00〜19:00
Closed: Thusdays
Website: http://www.palm-springs.jp/
(Furniture and interior goods can also be purchased from the online store.)

▼ Click here for the article on "MID CENTURY HOUSE" produced by "Palm Springs"
https://life-designs.jp/magazine/mid-century-house/

Life Designs is a lifestyle media that disseminates information on the theme of "making life in the Tokai area (Aichi, Gifu, Mie) more enjoyable".

We would like it to be a media that is close to the readers' daily lives, such as outings and lunch references. It is run by editorial staff who devote themselves to food, outings, and hobbies every day. While living in the Tokai area, we will deliver through the media the things and places we encountered and things that touched our heartstrings.

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