Japanese Muji expands in Germany

The Berlin shop opening planned by the Japanese lifestyle company Muji should take place this week. According to its management, Friday, May 16th should see the shop on Hackescher Markt open its doors at 10.00 am for the first time, providing citizens of the capital with access to "a world of purist and timeless functional designs". The new Muji store is set to occupy over 430 square metres of sales floors across two levels, with its location being the renowned address Hackescher Markt 1.

 

Following openings in Munich and Düsseldorf , the Berlin branch will be the third in operation across Germany. Despite differences in size and location, the interior design of the three stores is intended to originate from the same mould, and the simplicity should enable customers to focus clearly on the shop's true substance: The in-store product palette.

This ranges from office articles to kitchen utensils and accessories, electrical devices and clothing... According to the company, all of its articles are intended to following the principle of "mujirushi ryohin" (In brief: MUJI), meaning "quality products without labels". This is a philosophy that Muji maintains with consistency and it has already won over many fans around the world. After all, Muji products have already been distinguished with the converted "iF award" designer prize from the Institut für Industriedesign in Hanover.

The company management is convinced that the new MUJI store in Berlin will become a further milestone in the success story of the Japanese lifestyle company. The brand is currently operating 416 stores worldwide, of which many are located in the best parts of major cities such as New York, Milan, Stockholm and London. This year will also see further openings, making Rome, Istanbul and Madrid additional homes of Muji.

MUJI has been active in Germany since 2005: According to company information, the stores in Düsseldorf (which has a sales area of 550 square metres) and Munich (with its 700 square metres making it the largest Muji lifestyle store in Europe) have been enjoying growing popularity with German customers, with spirited sales in both the Kö-Galerie in Düsseldorf and the 5 Höfen in Munich. Expectations for the new Berlin branch are thus optimistic and high. In the words of Akihiro Kamogari, the company's manager for Germany: "We are delighted to be able to continue with the Muji success story in such a highly exposed location in Germany's capital city. After all, we are often asked when Muji will finally be coming to Berlin". He adds enthusiastically: "We are certain that we can offer the Berliners a new and attractive lifestyle world with Muji and we shall of course be providing Muji fans with particularly attractive offers during the first few days of opening".

How this will look and how eccentric the range of products on offer to the design-spoiled citizens of Berlin will be, none of this is yet known. However, the high expectations of the company may well be fulfilled anyway. After all, there is hardly a shop on the Hackescher Markt that is not doing well.

Image: Muji