UNIQLO
Popular Japanese clothing retailer Uniqlo is expected to open its first Texas store at Memorial City Mall on October 11, with a second location opening in Sugar Land the following week.
Uniqlo was founded in 1949 as a textile manufacturer in Yamaguchi, Japan. The first store opened in Hiroshima in 1984. Since then, the retailer has had more than 1,000 stores worldwide and quickly attracted attention with its low-cost clothing.
Uniqlo applied to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation earlier this year for a 21,000-square-foot retail space at Memorial City Mall, replacing fashion giant Forever 21. The retailer has since announced that a second Houston-area location will open on October 18 at First Colony Mall in Sugar Land.
RELATED TOPICS: Japanese retailer Uniqlo to open first store in Houston, Texas
“UNIQLO is excited to open five new stores across Texas. This expansion underscores our commitment to bringing our high-quality, innovative LifeWear and exceptional shopping experience to customers across the Lone Star State,” said Yoshihide Shindo, CEO of UNIQLO USA, in a statement.
The retailer also plans to partner with local nonprofits to refurbish and donate used Uniqlo items, Shindo said.
In Houston, the retailer will partner with Harmony, House Inc. as part of its RE.UNIQLO program, a press release said.
When the stores open, there will be special offers, giveaways and “special customer experiences.”
Uniqlo previously had plans to move to Houston, but those were quickly scrapped in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has reportedly brought about a “retail apocalypse.” Despite an obvious decline in brick-and-mortar stores, the retailer has generally boasted strong sales and rapid expansion of its stores.
There are 54 Uniqlo stores in the United States. These stores are located primarily on the West and East Coasts in California, New York, New Jersey and Washington.
Uniqlo will also open new stores in the Dallas area: at Galleria Dallas on October 18 and at Parks Mall on October 25.
