News, Business, Santa Monica

MUJI Begins Hiring Process For Santa Monica Store

Posted Apr. 29, 2014, 9:18 am

Parimal M. Rohit / Staff Writer

The Swedes gave us Ikea, literally and figuratively a household name company and the world’s largest furniture store. Perhaps the next corporate export to infiltrate everyday life in the United States and every other developed countries hails from Japan. That export: Mijurushi Ryohin, or MUJI.

MUJI announced last month the retail company would be opening a new store in Santa Monica. To be called MUJI Santa Monica, the retail company announced on April 21 it is now looking to hire a “grand opening team” of full- and part-time staff members for the new location.

A 6,300 square-foot retail space, MUJI Santa Monica will be located at 2936 Main Street.

The store is expected to open in June.

According to the company’s website, MUJI Santa Monica is seeking a sales staff to provide customer service to the store’s daily visitors. Those seeking part-time work are expected to commit 20 hours per week, while full-time job seekers must be at the store five days and 40 hours per week.

All staff members are expected to work at least either Saturday or Sunday, lift and move heavy items, and have a basic understanding of a computer.

MUJI Santa Monica will feature the store’s usual wide ranges of popular products.

“MUJI offers good quality products such as a wide variety of stationery, household items and apparel at reasonable prices,” the statement issued by the company said.  “The essence of MUJI products lies in its simplicity, flexibility and modesty to fit different life styles and individual preferences. The value of the MUJI product is in its effectiveness without the renowned brand or designer name.”

According to the company, Mujirushi Ryohin, or “MUJI,” means “no-brand quality goods” in Japanese.

“MUJI is simplicity – but a simplicity achieved through a complexity of thought and design,” the company’s philosophy states. “MUJI aspires to modesty and plainness, the better to adapt and shape itself to the styles, preferences, and practices of as wide a group of people as possible.”

The Santa Monica location marks MUJI’s second store in Southern California; another store is open in Hollywood. In all, there are nine MUJI locations within the United States, including the first U.S. location at New York’s SoHo district.

There are two other MUJI locations in California, including on in San Francisco and another in San Jose. The Hollywood location opened in 2013.

As of 2013, MUJI, which is headquartered in Tokyo, has 585 stores worldwide and specializes in selling cosmetics, electronics, fashion, food, furniture, home appliances, household goods, kitchen utensils, and stationery.

Just like Ikea, MUJI’s products are minimalist in form and function. According to an article in Business Week, MUJI is competing with the likes of Ikea, Crate and Barrel, Gap, and Target.

Visit MUJI’s website at www.muji.us to find out more about job opportunities and the products sold at its stores.