Farewell, MUJI 755

And all the meals and drinks we shared there.

Recently, the biggest retail news in Shanghai has been the closure of MUJI’s 10-year-old flagship store at Huaihai Road 755. According to insiders at MUJI, it is a normal brand adjustment, and there will be another grand opening for their new world flagship store in Xuhui District, another commercial hub in Shanghai.

Credit: images of MUJI 755 sourced from RedNote.

However, it is still hard to say goodbye to this much-loved MUJI store for many citizens in Shanghai, including me. Since it opened in December 2015, it has been a watchtower for spotting the latest trends and leading the fashion fads in town. I still vividly remember the sensation it created when it first opened, with large and eager crowds swarming into this three-floor store for fashion, lifestyle, and brand-new dining experiences.

Among all my fond memories of this “minimalist-style nestle”, the most vivid are of its MUJI Diner, where the food was beautifully displayed in a winsome manner, reflecting the Japanese obsession with order and cleanliness all year round. Having a meal or drink there felt like the culmination of the impeccable shopping experience of this MUJI store: after browsing the fashion on the first floor and then the carefully curated home décor on the second, you would embark on an immersive journey through MUJI’s iconic minimalism and brand philosophy. Finally, you would have the time to process it all while enjoying Japanese cuisine served in MUJI-style tableware, infused with other emerging global food trends, in a bright and open space, with a rustic and warm atmosphere created by wooden furniture.

 Credit: images of MUJI 755 sourced from RedNote.

It was this MUJI store that introduced many Chinese consumers, for the first time, to the idea that a brand known for selling minimalist fashion at affordable prices could also provide a refined dining experience within the reach of ordinary people. The MUJI Diner was most welcoming and charming when sunlight streamed through the space, casting a soft yellowish glow at noon or in the afternoon.

That was 2016, when I was working at TSI, with our alleyway office located on one of the most hustle-and-bustle streets. As one of the most creative boutique houses focusing on food and beverage consulting services, we often selected the most emblematic dining and drinking places for our team-building gatherings. This newly opened MUJI flagship store was nearby, and we became regulars.

Photo: the author

At the time, I was obsessed with the light, healthy food trend, grilled salmon with brown rice and seaweed miso soup, and I would always order it at MUJI. Our then CEO, Andrew Kuiler, would often generously invite us to the next-door Seesaw, which was leading the artisanal coffee wave in Shanghai at that time, to savor a cup of coffee or tea, with special Shanghai flavors like osmanthus with oolong.

Credit: images of MUJI 755 sourced from RedNote.

In memory of those good old days of dining and drinking, I intentionally chose a few pictures from know-it-all RedNote to recreate my MUJI dining experiences in 2016, ending with a personal photo of myself in front of the door of that beautiful office.

Farewell, MUJI 755, and thank you for what you have done for our city.

またいつか。