This portable Japanese store uses an easy-to-use DIY design to easily create minimal stores

As someone who has worked in retail occasionally, I sometimes think about stuff that would make our staff’s life easier. There are times when we have to join various events and trade fairs but our products are not that easy to transport and set up. Sometimes all we have is a table and a small shelf so the display doesn’t look that great. It would be nice to have a mobile shop that we could bring with us whenever we need to have a mini bookstore with us. This mobile store by a Japanese design studio is something that we could have used.

Designer: COC

SHOPKIT is a sort-of DIY furniture set that you can bring along with you as a mobile store or display booth. It is pretty easy to assemble and disassemble and is also pretty portable so you can bring it with you whenever you need something to display and sell your wares. The design is pretty minimalist and uses various materials like wood, steel, and polycarbonate so it will fit right in with wherever you’re setting up shop, whether it’s a park, an exhibition venue, at the mall, or any other urban spaces.

There are two types of SHOPKIT currently available. The single door type is made up of one box and is the easier one to assemble of course. If you want something bigger, there’s a double door type that is made up of two boxes that has work counters held in place with magnets and has a translucent facade so you can get a little bit of lighting as well. The module also has a place where you can hang a split shop curtain to protect you from the sun if you’re outdoors. It’s also something reminiscent of traditional Japanese shops so it fits with the aesthetic.

Originally, these units were just temporary structures as a building was being renovated. But they have now been repurposed as a piece of mobile architecture that is movable, portable, and easy to assemble and store. The model can be used by businesses and entrepreneurs that are in need of mobile shops and like the minimalist, Japanese design. It would be pretty useful for my past retail self who had to lug around tables, shelves, and books.