The encyclopedia · Strategy & Leadership · Strategic decision · 1993–2025
Working House was Taiwan's home lifestyle chain with 100 stores — now it has fewer than 10
Working House went from nearly 100 stores across Taiwan to less than 10 by 2025. Its Kaohsiung last outlet closed in August 2025.
Working House (生活工場) · 2025-08-20
What happened
Working House was founded in 1993 and grew into one of Taiwan's most recognizable home lifestyle chains. At its peak, the brand had nearly 100 stores across the island, selling home decor, furniture, kitchenware, and lifestyle accessories to a broad middle-class customer base.
The decline set in as international competitors entered the market. IKEA, Muji, NITORI (宜得利), and HOLA offered similar products with better brand recognition, larger selections, and more competitive pricing. Working House struggled to differentiate itself — its product design did not evolve, quality reportedly declined, and its mid-market positioning left it squeezed between affordable mass retailers and premium lifestyle brands.
By 2025, Working House had closed all but 6–10 stores. Its last remaining Kaohsiung outlet on Zuoying Yucheng Road shut its doors in August 2025. The company shifted its focus to online sales and wholesale distribution, effectively abandoning physical retail after 32 years. The closure of the Kaohsiung flagship marked the end of Working House as a physical retail brand that had once been a staple of Taiwanese shopping streets.
Why it happened
- Working House was squeezed between international giants like IKEA and Muji that offered better design and scale, and local competitors that offered lower prices
- The brand failed to evolve its product design and quality while competitors invested heavily in store experience, visual merchandising and supply chain efficiency
- Taiwan's retail market consolidation meant mid-market chains without a clear differentiator could not survive the combined pressure of international competition and e-commerce growth
The lesson
A mid-market homeware chain in a small market cannot compete with IKEA on range, Muji on design, or Shopee on price. If you are not the cheapest or the best, you are the one that closes.
Sources
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