Popular Japanese retailer UNIQLO has announced that it will open its first location in British Columbia at Metropolis at Metrotown in Burnaby. The store is scheduled to open this fall.
The 20,630 square foot store will occupy two levels within the mall. The upper level will include a corner retail space formerly occupied by Ben Moss jewellers, as well as two adjacent spaces. UNIQLO’s lower level will be in part of the space formerly occupied by Home Outfitters (see floor plan below).
Metropolis at Metrotown will be UNIQLO’s third Canadian store, following the opening of two stores last year in Toronto. In September of 2016, UNIQLO opened its first Canadian flagship, spanning 33,400 square feet, at CF Toronto Eaton Centre. A 30,000+ square foot Yorkdale Shopping Centre UNIQLO store subsequently opened in October of 2016, in the mall’s new Nordstrom-anchored expansion wing. Both stores carry Uniqlo’s expansive array of colourful basics for men, women and children, in bright and friendly retail environments.
The Metropolis at Metrotown, owned and operated by Ivanhoé Cambridge, is the largest mall in British Columbia/third largest in Canada, and also one of Canada’s most productive centres, according to a recently released Retail Council of Canada Shopping Centre study.
“The launch of UNIQLO in British Columbia represents another major milestone for us, as Canada continues to be an important focus for the company globally. This country’s cultural and climatic diversity represents the perfect platform for UNIQLO and our philosophy of LifeWear,” said Yasuhiro Hayashi, Chief Operating Officer of UNIQLO Canada. “We are extremely excited to share UNIQLO with the people of Vancouver and surrounding areas and introduce them to how our high quality, comfortable and functional clothing can help improve their everyday lives. With the opportunity for outdoor adventures to world-class amenities, we hope that Vancouverites will embrace UNIQLO’s versatile and stylish everyday clothes that cater to their active lifestyle.”
Jeff Berkowitz of Aurora Realty Consultants represents UNIQLO for its Canadian real estate negotiations. He also coordinated the first two Toronto lease deals.
Uniqlo now has approximately 1,800 stores in 18 countries worldwide, including Japan, Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, U.K. and the United States.
