Jenna Buchanan says plans to “be tame” at the opening of Winnipeg’s first Uniqlo store rapidly went out the window.
“At first it was, like, one item each. That’s not going to happen,” said Buchanan, one of a trio who were first in line for the 10 a.m. opening.
“We thought maybe other people were going for six, so maybe we should go for 5:45.”
The popular Japanese clothing brand’s opening this morning at Polo Park mall featured giveaways, free coffee and baked goods from local vendors and a traditional Japanese taiko performance by Winnipeg-based ensemble Hinode Taiko.
Mayor Scott Gillingham dressed in Uniqlo apparel for the opening of the over 18,000-square-foot store.
“Sixty-five people already are now employees of Uniqlo Winnipeg, with more to come, and that’s exciting,” Gillingham said.
Jenna Buchanan, left, Jaime Buchanan, centre, and Alyssa Johnson lined up at 5:45 a.m. for the opening of the Uniqlo store in Polo Park. (Gavin Axelrod/CBC)
The Japanese retailer announced it was opening the store back in January.
The Polo Park shop offers the Japanese retailer’s Lifewear lineup, with seasonal collaborations and the brand’s trademark range of graphic T-shirts.
Headquartered in Tokyo, Uniqlo opened its first store in 1984 in Hiroshima.
Since then, they’ve opened over 2,500 stores around the globe, becoming one of the most popular clothing brands in the world. There are 37 in Canada, with the first opening in Toronto in 2016.
Peter Havens, the general manager of Polo Park, hopes its opening will help attract other big-name retailers.
“It’s absolutely a positive reinforcement for other retailers to come to Winnipeg, especially because Uniqlo is an international retailer,” Havens said.
Mayor Scott Gillingham and Peter Havens, general manager of Polo Park, cut the ribbon signalling the opening of the first Uniqlo store in Winnipeg. (Gavin Axelrod/CBC)
The brand’s popularity was on full display Friday morning, with hundreds of people lining the second-floor halls of Polo Park.
Bruce Winder, a retail analyst, says Uniqlo is a very appealing brand right now, especially among Gen Z.
“It hits a really nice point right now, especially as younger people are watching their money and are on a budget. You can get some good clothing for reasonable prices,” Winder said, with clothing he described as comfortable and durable.
Uniqlo likes to take time and conduct research before entering new markets, he said.
The collaborations with Gunn’s Bakery and Little Sister Coffee Maker at the opening came from asking people within the community what their favourite shops were, said Whitney Martyniuk, marketing manager at Uniqlo Canada.
“It’s something we’ve been trying to do a bit more within Canada as we open stores,” Martyniuk said. “It’s a way to connect with the local customers and the local demand.”
Uniqlo has also announced plans to open a second store at St. Vital Centre by the end of the year.