How Uniqlo will change the complexion of Chicago's North Michigan Avenue retail

01/09/2015
The rush of foreign retailers on to North Michigan Avenue continues. Japanese retailing behemoth Uniqlo is set to open a 60,000-square foot store on Oct. 23, at 830 N. Michigan in the shadow of the somewhat fading dowager of Michigan Avenue retail establishments — Water Tower Place.

Uniqlo's first Chicago outpost will be its 45th in the United States. A flagship NYC store, now the largest in the nation, opened in 2012, after Uniqlo made landfall in the Big Apple in 2006. The very first Uniqlo store opened in Japan in 1984, and the chain has grown to include 1,600 stores worldwide.
A behemoth in other words.
While startup clothing retailers such as Trunk Club and Bonobos continue to try and figure out whether they want to be online or brick and mortar operations or some combo thereof, Uniqlo is all in on the brick and mortar front.
It's full range of affordable casual wear for women, men, kids and babies will be on display in the new Chicago flagship store, along with a Starbucks outlet for good measure.
Oddly, Uniqlo is teaming up with the Chicago Bulls to sponsor an After School Matters art-related promotion in the new Chicago store. The Bulls may be high-profile, but an art program isn't exactly a logical tie-in for the Bulls.
Still Bulls chief operating officer Michael Reinsdorf is all in: "We look forward to working together to provide exciting experiences for our fans and a special creative program for After School Matters that will allow them to learn about opportunities in art and design."
The North Michigan Avenue block on which the Uniqlo store will open in Chicago really says everything you need to know about the state of brick and mortar retail in Chicago and the diminishing presence of American retailers in particular in what has often been pegged as the most American of major United States cities.
With its roots in Japan, the new Uniqlo will be situated alongside large stores for Swedish retailer H&M and the British Topshop.
Just down the street, Gucci also is completing a major expansion of its North Michigan Avenue store. Right across the street from Gucci, Louis Vuitton is upgrading as well, amid reports several American retailers such as J. Crew and Abercrombie & Fitch are struggling as they work through identity crises.

Fonte:http://www.bizjournals.com/chicago/news/2015/09/01/how-uniqlo-will-change-the-complexion-of.html?utm_content=bufferf37db&utm_medium=social&utm_source=linkedin.com&utm_campaign=buffer

LEGGI GLI ALTRI BLOG

• < Prec
• Succ >