Muji USA issued the following statement, titled “An Update to Our California Community,” on July 31:
“As you know, Muji recently began taking steps to restructure our U.S. business operations. A part of this evolution included the difficult decision to close our California retail locations indefinitely, including:
“Third Street Promenade (Santa Monica), Hollywood, Santa Anita, Stanford, San Jose, Santa Monica, SOMA (South of Market, San Francisco)
“Thank you for eight wonderful years in California. We hope you will continue to shop with us online. Our website remains fully operational and our customer service experts are always available to answer any questions you may have.”
In an announcement on July 10, the company said it was impacted by the coronavirus pandemic:
“Since 2007, Muji USA has offered customers functional products designed to make life easy and efficient. As we look to the future, we remain committed to growth and success as well as offering the best possible customer service experience.
“While the retail industry is navigating challenges imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Mujih as made the decision to restructure its business in order to better serve our community, which involves filing for Chapter 11.
“Muji USA will remain fully operational throughout the restructuring. Our stores across the country remain in various phases of reopening, in accordance to public health guidelines, and our e-commerce website continues to run.
“Thank you to our community for your continued support.”
The company’s profile on Facebook reads, “Muji is not a brand whose value rests in the frills and extras it adds to its products. Muji is simplicity — but a simplicity achieved through a complexity of thought and design.”
Muji USA Limited is the U.S. subsidiary of Ryohin Keikaku Co., Ltd. which is Muji’s corporate entity incorporated in Japan. Since its founding in 1980, Muji has expanded around the world and has about 380 stores in Japan, 200 stores in other countries including Asia, Europe and the U.S.
For more information, visit: www.muji.us/store