Ladies and Gentlemen, I am officially in mourning. It is with great sadness that I must tell you of the closing of my very favorite store on earth. Yes kids, my beloved Takashimaya will be no more as of June 19th! I am completely stunned. I posted pics here of my wonderful birthday lunch there, it is the most wonderful place for quiet, relaxing shopping and a stunning lunch. Did you know that lunch had the ability to be stunning? I didn't until I ate there years ago and I've been going back ever since. The store is huge in Japan and is still there and it came here in 1958. I am just so sad that it is leaving New York City. I know it's hard to imagine, but picture a store that feels like a very expensive home. Intimate, soft lighting, quiet. Items from all over the world, the best of the best yet no one ever made you feel pressured or like you were not welcome if you weren't spending. This was Takashimaya.
I feel like a weirdo admitting how devastated this makes me feel, but it does. I am not a big shopper these days, I hate those fancy, high end 5th avenue venues but this was different. I have sat in the tea box with my BFF crying over broken relationships, talking about new ones, bitching about work, raving about a new lipstick or perfume. It's just MY place. I've always felt like whenever things are rough, going to "Tak' for lunch always made me feel better. Just sitting in that calm environment, having a beautiful pot of exquisite tea and gazing at the perfectly prepared plates of fabulous food always made everything seem not so bad. Even the cool triangular shopping bags were different than anyplace else. I am sitting here right now adorned with my $48 lipstick (YES! CRAZY RIGHT? ITS LIKE BUTTAH AND WORTH EVERY CENT!!) that I bought there and I am barely able to choke back my diva tears. I am now taking to my bed to try and process this horrible situation. I may get up later and use my $120 (YES!! I KNOW! NUTS! I THOUGHT I LOST MY MIND TOO BUT DAMN ITS WORTH IT!) body cream from there as a pick me up, we'll see.
No one in that store ever had an attitude despite the tony location or the hefty price tags. That is more than I can say for Bergdorfs, Barneys and the like. Anyway, if you are in NYC or if you will be here before June 19th I beg of you to go to Takashimaya to experience it before it's gone. The building itself is beautiful and has an almost haunting quality to it. Go shop and have a bento box lunch and dessert at the Tea Box downstairs. you won't be sorry and you will always have that memory of what shopping should be like.
That's all for now :)
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