Uniqlo spreads U.S. roots

NEW YORK — Value priced apparel and accessories retailer Uniqlo continues its U.S. expansion with the opening of two stores in the Northeast.



The global clothing retailer is strengthening its toehold on the Northeast with two new stores opening at Palisades Center in West Nyack, N.Y., and Westchester’s Ridge Hill in Yonkers, N.Y., by spring 2013.



“We are pleased to partner with both Palisades Center and Ridge Hill on our newest shopping center locations. After a successful launch this past fall at Westfield Garden State Plaza, Uniqlo’s prototype for our mall locations, we are continuing our commitment to roll-out locations at shopping malls across the U.S. With a dedicated fan base in the New York tri-state area, both Palisades Center and Ridge Hill are the natural next step in our expansion plans,” said Uniqlo USA CEO Shin Odake.



Uniqlo Palisades Center will open first in early March and expects to draw the approximately 20 million visitors who frequent Palisades Center every year. The Ridge Hill location will open mid-spring at the newly developed and growing shopping facility, and will be the retailer’s first outdoor lifestyle center location. Both new Uniqlo locations will occupy 24,000-sq.-ft., and the company has started hiring 100 full-time and part-time employees at all levels for each of the new locations.



Uniqlo established its presence in each U.S. coast with three stores in Manhattan; one in Paramus, N.J., and one store in San Francisco. No word yet on whether they will open additional locations in other urban markets in the West Coast, or elsewhere in the U.S.



Uniqlo has more than 1,100 stores in 13 markets, namely in Japan, China, France, Hong Kong, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, U.K. and U.S.