UNIQLO Hires Friendly In-Store Robot

UNIQLO, the shop best known for its quality basics, is changing the back to school shopping game by introducing the first-ever robot to buzz around a retail store. The plastic yellow shopping-assistant named Wakamaru came to life through design by Toshiyuki Kita and engineering by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI). It’s expected to make its first appearance in the SoHo store sometime next week.

Besides being able to make eye contact, meet and greet customers and engage in brief conversations, Wakamura will also lead the staff in inspirational morning exercises. No word yet if Waka is capable of snappin' on the colored-denim stans that will populate the store, but our fingers are crossed. Check out a video of little homie getting his swerve on in Washington earlier this year…

[Josh Spear]