Sydney bookstore issues apology because a dating coach has been sending clients to the shop to try out pick-up lines on customers
- Women shopping at Kinokuniya bookstore have been targeted by pick-up artists
- A dating coach sent clients to the store to test pick-up lines on shop customers
- On Friday, Kinokuniya apologied to its customers for any harassment they faced
- The unknown dating coaching company has been told to stop by the store
A Sydney bookstore has apologised after a dating coach sent their clients to the shop to try out pick-up lines on unsuspecting customers.
Aspiring pick-up artists were instructed to attempt to seduce customers at the Kinokuniya book shop in the Galeries shopping centre in the Sydney CBD.
However, many book shoppers felt harassed, prompting the Japanese bookstore to post an ‘open letter to our dear customers’ to social media on Friday afternoon.
‘It has come to our attention that a dating coaching company has been using our store to give their clients practical experience, much to our dismay,’ the post began.
Kinokuniya bookstore (pictured) apologised on Friday after a dating coach sent his clients to the shop to try out pick-up lines on unsuspecting customers
Book shoppers felt harassed by the pick-up artists, prompting Kinokuniya bookstore to post an ‘open letter to our dear customers’ to Twitter (pictured) and Facebook
The post continued: ‘We apologise to any of our customers who have been approached in the store or had the negative experience of someone trying “pick-up” techniques with them.
‘And to anyone who has felt harassed we offer our deepest apologies. We have contacted the company we know is involved and requested they not enter the store again.’
Two women replied to the Facebook post, saying that they were hit on while browsing books at Kinokuniya.
‘Omg this happened to me and just thought it was some random moment. I’m so glad it’s been addressed and hope it gets nipped in the bud!’ one woman said.
A second woman replied: ‘It happened to me too but I just thought it was just random.’
‘It’s reassuring that it wasn’t just me in a way, but at the same time sad that other have had that experience while just browsing books,’ the first woman replied.
Speaking exclusively to Daily Mail Australia, one woman who was hit on in the store said it was a ‘weird’ experience.
A woman who was approached by a pickup artist said it was ‘sad’ that women couldn’t even browsed books without being harassed by men (stock image)
It is unknown exactly which dating coach company was responsible for sending their clients to the store.
When asked if they would disclose the name of the dating company, a Kinokuniya representative said they thought it was best if they ‘keep quiet’.
Kinokuniya bookstore staff and security are now on the lookout for anyone who is receiving unwanted or unsolicited attention.
The bookshop encouraged customers to inform staff if anyone makes them feel uncomfortable in the store.
However, the book store still encouraged its customers to bond over their shared love of books.
‘The bookstore should be a place for discussion and we don’t want to discourage organic communications from taking place!’ the post ended.
Kinokuniya bookstore staff and security are now on the lookout for anyone who is receiving unwanted or unsolicited attention. Pictured: The full message to customers from Kinokuniya