Muji in NYC

[doctorgnar]

I read about this a while back - saw this today and it reminded me. Did a search but found no thread about it.

http://racked.com/archives/2007/10/01/new_yorkers_will_def_freak_out.php#more

I'm not really familiar with Muji, other than the limited stock at the MoMA store. Anyone have thoughts and feelings they'd like to share about the Japanese chain?

[KidDynamite]

It's just Muji. Pretty boring. Its a fine standby if you need to buy a bunch of resonably priced beige stuff for your house.

[doctorgnar]

It's just Muji. Pretty boring. Its a fine standby if you need to buy a bunch of resonably priced beige stuff for your house.

It sounds like lots of design savvy consumers would disagree.

[KidDynamite]

It sounds like lots of design savvy consumers would disagree.

The people shopping at Muji in Asia aren't exactly "design savvy." Just a bunch of regular Joes buying a beige notebook or a bag of Japanese peanut brittle.

[poliopoliopolio]

whatevs, i bought two of the nicer shawl collar sweaters i've seen last year for really good prices. they didn't look like they were stolen from some longshoreman's duffle bag or like a costume from 'the squid and the whale' like a lot of the other reasonably priced ones i've seen. also: TINY LITTLE COLORED PENCILS!! i, for one, am totally psyched.

[retrored]

muji is pretty "meh..", but should be a hit in the US. the items are moderately priced, and quality is slightly better then ikea (really depends though).

[readytoignite]

the clothes aren't much but the overall design is totally on point. for instance they have the best notebooks, post-its and travel gear ever. most people won't care but those who do will have a field day

[partytaco]

can't believe the new york times building which will host the muji store is tied now for #2 with the chysler building on the tallest nyc buildings list. sorry i know this really doesn't have anything to do with muji but i was suprise today to find this out.

[dismalfuture]

muji is a nice one-stop to buy certain things, like 3-packs of asian-sized white tees, good stationery, housewares (i like to buy beddings and kitchen tools there). The clothes aren't super steezy nor Euro slim but occasionally you can find something agreeable, though they generally market their clothes to the 50 year-old japanese guy who's going grey. They had a grey linen M65 this past spring that I thought people would beast over on this board had they found out about it.

[sybaritical]

Muji offers fantastic alternatives to other celebrated bargain establishments. Their designs are often laudable and while you have to sift through some of this clothing to find decent fitting pieces, it's second to none for basic, solid kitchen, homeware and stationary. Also of note is their excellent value and quality range of bargain electrical appliances - the DVD player is especially tasteful.

[sybaritical]

The people shopping at Muji in Asia aren't exactly "design savvy." Just a bunch of regular Joes buying a beige notebook or a bag of Japanese peanut brittle.

This is nonsense. Muji operates on a different level in Japan and in Bangkok the

prices are higher than London, automatically excluding 'regular joes after peanut

brittle'.

[superBobo]

The Muji ive seen is really nice, well designed, functional and well made. The toys are funny and quirky.

The prices are reasoble, but surly more expensive than IKEA (atleast in Sweden). Havent seen much clothes, just some wrinkly tees, cool socks and slippers.

[superBobo]

whatevs, i bought two of the nicer shawl collar sweaters i've seen last year for really good prices. they didn't look like they were stolen from some longshoreman's duffle bag

Please point me in the direction the reasobly prices ones that do look stolen from a longshoreman!

[mike lowrey]

I guess the beef some people have with Muji is that its very ordinary stuff yet somehow very popular.

I've bought some stationery from there, pencils in a carboard tube, notebooks, folders etc. I have thing for cardboard so I like some of their stuff.

[London]

just basic supplies for a good price. what's not to like. the new soho store is right down from the job which is convenient

[dismalfuture]

I think the beef that people have with Muji is that it goes beyond ordinary and is completely bland. Sometimes bland can be good, depending on the item. When is the last time you wanted a brand-name Japanese-style sesame seed mortar and pestle? Japanese-style futon and matching bland white cover? Spray bottle for putting clothes iron water in? This is where Muji comes into your life.

When I think I Muji, I think of Japanese actress Ishida Yuriko or someone like that, without makeup on, wearing some indigo apron, border-print sailor shirt, cropped khakis, and house slippers, in this vast white room with no walls or ceiling, cement floor, serving some steaming pot of grey indeterminate something amidst random generic-looking houseware on an unfinished plain pine table with matching unfinished pine chairs. Then picture in like 20pt bold black, a kotowaza or quip to the side to make it an ad.

[doctorgnar]

When I think I Muji, I think of Japanese actress Ishida Yuriko or someone like that, without makeup on, wearing some indigo apron, border-print sailor shirt, cropped khakis, and house slippers, in this vast white room with no walls or ceiling, cement floor, serving some steaming pot of grey indeterminate something amidst random generic-looking houseware on an unfinished plain pine table with matching unfinished pine chairs. Then picture in like 20pt bold black, a kotowaza or quip to the side to make it an ad.

That sounds awesome to me.

It's funny, all of the somewhat negative responses posted here about Muji merely a place to get totally bland, ordinary things - like notebooks - make me even more excited about their opening here. Because in that states, you can't find goods like that. Unbranded, well-designed, quality, affordable - it's hard to find simple things that fit into one or two of these categories, forget about all of them.

Shawl collared sweaters, beige notebooks, mini-colored pencils - I'm fucking stoked.

[123ok]

i think muji is great for picking minor nifty things like people have already mentioned. from affordable latop bags, aluminium money cases to minor clothing articles like cheap cashmeregloves and thick white t shirts to cheap and very basic stationary. i bought this cd player some years ago.. pretty nice if you have a small apartment and don't need or afford the best system..

[DaBestSpoona]

their design aesthetic is minimalistic, but you could always personalize it a la ikeahacker

[corporategrunt]

their design aesthetic is minimalistic, but you could always personalize it a la ikeahacker

I didn't know other people on Sufu read ikeahacker...

In Japan, Mujirushi Ryouhin stands for 'no-label good items'...but when they go abroad, people pick up on the 'minimalistic Japanese design' and the whole kitzziness (butchered spelling there) of the concept and operation.

[onemancult]

i love muji stationery.

[stadsvandringar]

So is the muji store in nyc besides the one in moma open now? Where is it?

I love muji's pens and markers. You can get a huge range of bold colors for pretty cheap. Considering the price point, they beat crayola hands down.

[onemancult]

dont think its open yet.

[cchen]

http://racked.com/archives/2007/10/02/muji_slowly_coming_to_life_in.php#more