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MUJI is on the verge of opening its first store in the United States. The Japanese retailer, whose original name meant "No Brand Quality Goods", is opening up a 2,000 square foot location on Broadway. Since we visited last week, the store has taken the protective covering off and stocked its shelves. Gothamist stopped by this morning for a preview.
We can already say that one of the biggest issues is going to be sizing. As we mentioned earlier this week, the store will not be using its clothing made for Japan, but the line for its European stores, which has customers more similar to Americans. We overheard one person inquiring about shoes saying, "is the largest size you have 9.5?" In addition to standard MUJI accessories, the store also features some furniture. The larger pieces like beds, couches, mattresses, can be delivered to all of New York City and some of New Jersey.
If you're wondering, here's a very small price comparison between MUJI SoHo prices and the MUJI store at MoMA. Pen/Pencil: $3.50 at MUJI, $4 at MoMA ($3.20 for members); Acrylic Pots: $3.25 at MUJI, $3.50 at MoMA ($2.80 for members). Verdict (based on this small sample) - if they carry the product at MoMA, it's going to be more expensive unless you're a member. Of course, the MoMA store doesn't have nearly as many MUJI items.
As we left, there was already a small line of people outside the store.
MUJI SoHo is located at 455 Broadway and opens today at noon; More photos and a slideshow after the jump
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That girl holding the microphone looks really interested.
UniQlo + stationary = Muji
bland-tastic!
The first picture looks like a lab with blood samples (not to mention the maxipads)...
Attractive.
Uniqlo is dead. So fucking dead. Every single time I go there to buy socks and underwear there is nobody at the counter and I have to signal someone to use the cash register. Meanwhile, I'm still waiting in a line ten people deep at H&M with ten lines open. SInce Uniqlo is 3 times bigger than both H&M's combined in soho one can only deduce how well they are doing. two problems for Uniqlo. 1. the clothes are too basic. 2. the clothes are ten dollars more expensive than the same thing at gap and twenty dollars more expensive than the same thing at old navy. Muji might do well, but it's curious why Crate and Barrel opened CB2 right next to them. CB has much better quality IMO.
yeah, the 'qlo kind of sucks and is always a ghost town. the only thing that they have over h&m is that they regularly do the guest designer of merit thing (phillip lim, alice roi, etc), whereas H&M does it every now and again. and really, who trusts madonna to make a good outfit. you just wait until topshop opens.
as for muji, people sadly always need more crap, stuff, and things in their lives, and muji will satisfy that compulsion towards consumerism.
does anyone know if the new muji carries household items or furniture? i didn't really see any in the pics..
meganificent - they do carry some of that stuff. not all that much furniture though. they have candles, bathroom stuff, towels, chopsticks, knives, forks, clocks, some glassware, vases...
i really didn't have the time/patience to take photos of everything.
just came back from MUJI. Dissapointed is an understatement to say the least. The stuff is not as nice as the stuff in Crate and Barrel and is more expensive. Also, the clothes aren't even better than UNIQLO and they are HELLA MORE expensive. For example, a Short sleeve henley is 37 dollars at MUJI while at UNIQLO it's only $4.90 and you have multiple colors to pick from. Also a crappy basic Peacoat was $288.00 at MUJI but only $120 at Uniqlo and cheaper at H&M at $90.00. Even more insulting is that the clothes weren't even made in Japan but in BULGARIA!!! I can understand if it was Quality Japanese goods but the MUJI brand is made in crappy third world countries and fifth world Eastern European countries. Meanwhile, the peacoat at UNIQLO is made in HONG KONG which is pretty much the best quality asian place to make clothes nowadays. All the stationary was not as unique as stuff you can buy at pearl paint and staples. The furniture was IKEA like but ten times more expensive, and the ceramics and glasswear were not as good as crate and barrel but even more expensive. As a retail Expert I give MUJI a big fat D. They need to lower prices or come up with unique items cause what I saw was not even as good as Marchand De legumes.
These Japanese and European companies are forgetting that the dollar ain't looking so hot these days.
this store will bring to manhattan what IKEA has been ignoring: suply of cool, sleek and afordable everyday objects where people are. They will sell MILLIONS for sure. I was there and they're stuff was more interesting that CB2 and...well I think is an alternative to what is out there. I'm glad it will still keep its own group of followers.
you know, i like MUJI, but i too was disappointed. a little raggedy plaid scarf was 26 bucks. i'll go to my usual street vendor, thank you. they don't even sell cutlery they have online, which is why i went in the first place!
guess i'll only be going there for paper clips and graph paper. booooo