Muji US to test suburbs

Japanese lifestyle brand Muji US will take its message of minimalism to the suburbs when it opens in New Jersey’s largest mall, Westfield Garden State Plaza in Paramus, next month.

Its 8600 sqft (798 sqm) store, on the lower level of the mall, will be the first Muji store in the state. Muji has five stores in Manhattan, and some of its high-design housewares are sold at the Museum of Modern Art.

Muji has 400 stores in Japan and more than 300 internationally, including 11 in the US. Muji’s first store outside of Japan opened in London in 1991, with its first US store opening in 2007.

Founded in 1980, its original name, Mujirushi Ryohin, means “no brand, quality goods”. By “no brand,” Muji means no logos on its products.

The company’s website offers a different view of marketing from that of the typical American retailer. “We do not make objects to entice responses of strong affinity like ‘This is what I really want’ or ‘I must have this,’” it says. Rather, it strives to trigger the response “This will do”, which it says expresses “conciliatory reasoning”.

Muji USA president Asako Shimazaki says the vibrant setting of Garden State Plaza is a perfect location for the company to reach the New Jersey market and test its first store in a more suburban community.