Japanese label MUJI announces opening of largest Canadian store in Vancouver

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      While anticipation for MUJI’s first Canadian pop-up shop is so high that a reservation system has been established, the company announced today (January 23) at the Fairmont Pacific Rim that two permanent locations will open in Metro Vancouver before the end of the year.

      One store will open on Robson Street while the other will find a home at Metropolis at Metrotown. According to MUJI Canada president Toru Akita, the downtown Vancouver outpost will measure 10,000 square feet. It will be MUJI’s largest Canadian location to date.

      The Burnaby shop, meanwhile, will total 8,000 square feet. Both locations will carry the Tokyo-based retailer’s entire range of products, including furniture, stationery, clothing items, food, and housewares, all of which are known for their high quality and no-brand aesthetic.

      Lucy Lau

      “They will be much bigger than the stores in Toronto,” Akita told the Straight during an interview at Vancouver’s MUJI pop-up, which opens this Friday (January 27) as part of Westbank and Peterson’s Japan Unlayered exhibit. “We will also provide some new products and services which we have not yet brought to Canada.”

      Akita shared that MUJI Canada has been looking to lay down roots in Vancouver since 2009. However, securing a desirable location had proven difficult. “We have been trying to find a store in Vancouver for a long time, probably eight years,” he said.

      MUJI’s exact locations on Robson Street and inside Metropolis at Metrotown have not yet been revealed. Keep your eyes peeled for the expected “coming soon” signs.

      Both stores are slated to open by December 2017.

      If you can't wait until then, you can make a reservation to shop the brand's pop-up at the Fairmont Pacific Rim. Click here for a preview of the pop-up and the accompanying Japan Unlayered showcase.

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