November 13, 2007
Just Three Days Until MUJI SoHo Opens
We've been excited about the first U.S. store from MUJI since March. This Friday at noon, the Japanese retailer (whose full name Mujirushi Ryōhin, translates to "No Brand Quality Goods") will open its SoHo location at 455 Broadway. We got to tour the store last week for a quick peek as workers were getting it ready.
The store is 2,000 square feet, with products ranging from its popular stationery line to cooking utensils and furniture, as well as clothing, and pricing range from under a dollar (for ink pen components) to hundreds (furniture). Some things are missing, like MUJI's food line, which isn't being sold due to regulatory issues. And a fun fact: The clothing has been readjusted to account for "American" sizes.
We asked MUJI U.S.A. President Hiroyoshi Azami a few questions about MUJI's entry into the U.S. market. The SoHo location was selected because of its traffic patterns and the diversity of a potential customer base. Regarding the products' American reception, Mr. Azami said, "MUJI product is modest and plain so that people can adapt itself to their lifestyles, preferences and practices. This is one of the major reason why MUJI is accepted universally. I believe this is the case in the U.S. and MUJI products will be accepted and embraced by many people." And yes, more MUJI stores are being planned.
And Mr. Azami's favorite products? The furniture and fabrics - and he believes the "Pocket Coil Mattress with Legs” and “Mold Urethane Sofa” will be the "big hits with New Yorkers." A location in the NY Times building, rumored to be around 5,000 square feet, will open next year, possibly in the spring.
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The first 500 customers at MUJI on Friday will receive a MUJI "My Bag," a plain tote - which will also be given out over the weekend) plus a gift. The tote is a way for MUJI to encourage environmentally friendly shopping, and starting on Monday, November 19, the bag will cost $1. And starting in January, there will also be upcoming Muji "My Bag" Shopping nights, where customers get a 15% discount.
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oh yes, this is a joyous occasion indeed! Now i never have to set foot in the moma store again. what, with their limited selection of muji and their snotty/incompetent workers? Funk dat. Go Muji go!
i seriously do not get why all of you are so obsessed with muji. materialism-- get over it!
get over yourself.
muji, being the brand-free entity that it is, does not work well as conspicuous consumption. your materialism argument doesn't quite work. sorry jake dobkin.
How about... it's pretty bland stuff. Why not call it "Japanese Apparel"? (I can't think of a good play on "ikea".) But if you're into that...
What exactly is 'American sizes' mean?
Except for the clothing they look like they're selling some similar items as Pearl River a block away. Wonder who's cheaper.
Brand-free, except they are their own brand. Hmm...
Ph - americans are bigger (taller, fatter) than the japanese, so they can't use their clothing line from japan. they're going to use the clothing line from europe, which fits americans better.
Excited.
The Muji store in Paris was awesome, which was my first exposure to the brand. Trust me, this is nothing like Pearl River. Muji is the epitome of modern, simple, affordable, well-design products.
it's like ikea but japanese and smaller and filled with useless crap.
as much as I hate Ikea, I think their stuff is better and is a better value.
hey, but you're into Jap then you're in Jap hipster heaven. I do however like jap chewing gum if they have that.
i have a feeling that muji stuff has better construction than american apparel. afterall, it's not being made by americans. or those cheaps swedes.
American sizes are NOT European sizes! They are about twice the girth, just south of Samoan.
Is this kind of like the Azuma store thing they had back in the sixties?
They are when you are in SoHo. No waste sizes above 30 in any stores down in those parts.
Went to a Muji in Barcelona and they had awesome soap, that's really the only thing I am hoping they have there. Plus some neat little passport sized notebooks.
Railing against consumerism and materialism while living in New York City is kind of like being a preacher at a Las Vegas strip club. Spurlock-clones attack!
soap? little notebooks? outta my way bitches.
Just because it's ostensibly brand-free doesn't mean it's not going to get fetishized by hipsters (see also: Moleskine)
Remember when Uniqlo opened and it was pandemonium? go there now and there are no lines to buy clothes. I think they will close in a year. The hype is over and the clothes were overpriced. Muji will be a flash in the pan too.
(see also: Moleskine)
I do like Moleskin. But I think they should seriously consider offering spiral bound versions of their items.
Uniqlo ... The hype is over and the clothes were overpriced.
Well I wouldn't say they are overpriced. But their style is extremely boring. I just can't find anything there that I want; its a place I would only visit once a year at most.
Concerning Muji .. all I see in that slide is gray and more gray. I hope it won't be another Uniqlo.
This was probably the most sedate store opening ever. The lines were long, everyone was friendly, but the whole place was eerily quiet. No talking, quiet music. It was almost boring.
yessss muji paris, like um 15 years ago... what took so long new york?