Japanese clothing retailer Uniqlo has confirmed that it will open two flagship stores in Toronto in the fall of 2016: one at the Toronto Eaton Centre and one at the Yorkdale Shopping Centre.
According to the Toronto Star, Uniqlo will join Nordstrom in taking over the currently unused space at the north end of the Toronto Eaton Centre, which was recently vacated by Sears Canada. The new 28,000 square foot Uniqlo store will put the popular Japanese clothing brand beside competing retailer H&M. Nordstrom will also open their doors as scheduled in the fall of 2016. Uniqlo’s Yorkdale location will be part of a new section of the mall, which is currently under construction. It will be slightly smaller at 24,000 square feet.
Uniqlo is known around the globe for their affordable casual apparel, free of logos, for men, women and children. They currently have 1,500 stores, with stores in Japan, Australia, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, the United Kingdom and the United States.
The announcement comes as Target Canada is in the process of closing 133 stores following an agressive attempt to enter the Canadian marketplace, a failure that will put 17,600 people out of work in spring.
Next steps for Uniqlo? Expect the brand to expand to Vancouver and other Canadian cities.
