Memorial City

Casualwear retailer Uniqlo from Japan to open 2 Houston-area stores

AJapanese retailer known for its casualwear fashion lines is expanding into Dallas-Fort Worth. Called Uniqlo, the company will open five new stores in Texas, with two in the Houston area and three in Dallas. The Houston stores will open in the following locations:

  • Memorial City Mall
  • First Colony Mall in Sugar Land

According to a release, they’ll open in fall 2024.

They’re part of an expansion that includes opening more than 20 new stores in 2024, reaching a total of 200 stores in North America by 2027. Uniqlo currently has 74 North America stores, mainly on the East and West coasts.

Uniqlo USA CEO Yoshihide Shindo says the expansion into Texas follows significant online customer demand from Texan customers.

“We are thrilled to be coming to Texas, a state where we have seen positive customer demand and where UNIQLO LifeWear products can perfectly serve the needs of the various lifestyles and climates throughout Houston and Dallas,” Shindo said in the release.

Uniqlo describes its LifeWear brand as “simple, high-quality, everyday clothing, thoughtfully crafted with life’s needs in mind.” The line includes a variety of casual wear items ranging from T-shirts and tank tops to purses and hats.

The company was founded in 1984 in Hiroshima, Japan. Founder Tadashi Yanai took over his father’s suiting store and transformed it into the unisex, casualwear line it is today. They now have more than 2,400 locations globally. Their first U.S. store opened in 2005 in New Jersey.

As it launches in Texas, Uniqlo plans to also open six new stores in California in 2024, strengthening its presence on the West Coast.