Japanese clothing retailer Uniqlo (pronounced YOU-nee-klo) has only six US stores right now but they plan to have 200 by 2020. Never heard of Uniqlo? I hadn’t either until Sunday when I saw a segment on CBS Sunday Morning’s report The ambitious clothing company Uniqlo aims high (video).
Uniqlo has 1,200 stores worldwide and is the 4th largest clothing retailer in the world. They want to be #1 by 2020, so that means a big push in the US.
New Uniqlo at the Westfield Garden State Plaza mall has an outside entrance in addition to the interior entrance. Click image to see mall in Google Maps.
Uniqlo, the Japanese basics brand, is starting aggressive growth plans at shopping malls that are expected to include 20 to 30 new stores a year over the next eight years.
[snip]
To hit the company’s stated target of $10 billion in sales in the United States by 2020, “we need to go where the customer is, and in the United States, malls are the premier location where Americans shop,” Mr. Kyogoku said. The Uniqlo executives declined to discuss specifics about the expansion plans, beyond saying they also included stores in other big American cities. The company is also working on an e-commerce site in the United States, the executives said. (NY Times As U.S. Retailers Retreat, a Japanese Chain Sees an Opening)
So this means we’ll likely get a store in The Galleria and/or West County Mall rather than a pedestrian-friendly area like The Loop or downtown. Remember when people hoped for Urban Outfitters and H&M to locate somewhere other than The Galleria?
Possibly they might locate in the MX District or Ballpark Village, but my money is on The Galleria. Wherever they open it’ll put pressure on chains like Old Navy, Gap, etc.
— Steve Patterson
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Since I’m not in their target demographic, I really don’t care, but I find this speculative piece to be at odds with your March 14th posting, “Enough With The IKEA Rumors”, where you said we shouldn’t be speculating until the deal is signed . . . .
Pot, meet kettle. How about rereading your own post: “Possibly they might locate in the MX District or Ballpark Village, but my money is on The Galleria. Wherever they open it’ll put pressure on chains like Old Navy, Gap, etc.” At least in the Ikea story it’s been verified that the reported site is being negotiated for development.
I don’t care either. Oh but wait, I’ll be taken to task for that, so I’ll say something. Don’t we have enough clothing retailers? I remember the Urban bruhah and then wasnt’ there that upscale men’s line that went into the corner of the Galleria and ended up closing a short time later? I really think the standard indoor mall is a thing of the past. Outdoor malls, a quasi urban experience put in suburbia taken from our warmer climates seems to be the coming trend. So all joking aside, Crestwood just might land it should they go the retail route over housing route. Then again, I’m sure there will be plenty of room at the outlet malls in Chesterfield.
And about sizes….Ryley is right. Have you ever tried to find small or medium at Bass Pro Shops?
Walked into one of these in Italy, France or some other country a few years back. Basically an Old Navy/GAP clone….another outlet for Chinese textiles. Like the GAP/ON they had (casual) clothes for everyone, save perhaps octogenarians, so I’d say they will do well in Missourah so long as they stock plenty of XXXL.
Ya, the one I wandered into was huge. Much bigger than I was expecting.
Its funny how us North Americans often reflect in disappointment about our love affair with big box consumerism and its associated crappy consumer products (which we should – but that’s another topic)…the thing is we aren’t any worse than any other western nation. If you get yourself outside the historic core of most European cities (big or small) you’ll find suburbia there too, complete with cars, autoroutes, cookie cutter homes and national/international chain stores. The historic, walkable neighborhood lifestyle, that we New Worlders fall in love with after a few weeks abroad, is generally speaking, only for the rich in Europe (as it can be in Boston/New York, etc.). Living centrally, shopping at boutiques and making separate trips to the corner butcher, baker and candlestick maker are just as costly there as here.
I’m just saying we suck….but no more than everyone else 😉
“The historic, walkable neighborhood lifestyle, that we New Worlders fall in love with after a few weeks abroad, is generally speaking, only for the rich in Europe.”
Excuse me, but I live in Europe, I’m a dirt poor student, and I live in a historic, walkable neighbourhood. It is not only for the rich. In Europe there are usually no “poor” sections of town like in the States. In my city, rich and poor live next to each other, ride their bikes to work everyday, and shop at the same grocery stores. It’s a beautiful atmosphere and doesn’t take a lot of money. (Maybe living in the center of Paris is expensive but that’s Paris.) It is easy to live in many parts of Europe. You just have to be smart on where you purchase your necessities. There are market places which are usually cheaper than your grocery stores because anything imported is more expensive because of the EU tariff on imported goods. And yes, it can be the same in St. Louis. Gentrification is necessary. There is no other way. Wealthier people from the suburbs need to be willing to move into poorer areas and sacrifice a little bit of comfort. In the end, you’ll forget about life in the suburbs very quickly. We need more community in the States. At the end of the day, Americans who come to Europe are all “goo-goo ga-ga” over everything they see because it’s all so quaint. Remember, it took centuries for Europe to get to where it’s at now. America is a teenager. Grow up.
“It is easy to live in many parts of Europe. You just have to be smart on where you purchase your necessities.”
Agreed, but I was not speaking to the life of a poor student, ‘making a go of it’ as it were…..but rather to not making compromises and how in that context, the “quaint” European existance us North Americans often compare ourselves against, isn’t exactly what the majority of Europe is experiencing….and therefore we shouldn’t feel too badly.
I’m not sure where you are getting your information about Europe (maybe Fox News?) You are so off base it is not funny. The quality of living for the average person in Europe blows St. Louis off the map. In fact too many cities outside of Europe also far eclipse St. Louis. I don’t know how you can be so misinformed, but it is not from experience.
I’ll point you to an excellent study of suburban development outside of Stockholm, a book by David Pass called Vallingby and Farsta published by MIT press. It covers the poiltical process that was necessary to integrate transit, walkability and commercial interests into the new suburban developments. Farsta and Vallingby were built in the 60’s and 70’s. You are wrong about the city core and the suburbs also.
I never mentioned quality of life. American’s lose that battle every time when compared to most Western nations. I spent 30 years in Canada, so I can attest to that.
All I said was as North Americans we shouldn’t feel too badly about ourselves for the dominance of a consumeristic suburban lifestyle. Mainly because it’s not just this side of the pond that it is flourishing. Yes it may be at its best (or rather worst) here in the USA but at the end of the day there are still millions and millions of Europeans doing the same damn thing.
I’m sorry but your comments about the wealthy being the only ones with access to walkable cities along with the suggestion that somehow European suburbs are the same as St. Louis I thought would leave the wrong impression on someone who does not have knowledge otherwise.
In fact walking cities in Europe are just the opposite to what you claim. It is a major factor in equalizing movement accessibility between rich and poor all over Europe.
In St. Louis primarily the poor use transit out of necessity. In Europe everyone uses transit because they are complete transit systems. In many of these cities people choose to do without an auto.
Few in St. Louis do without an auto by choice.
The small shops you mention are an outcome of successful transit. It is a life style that has individuals stopping into shops for fresh bread, fish, veggies and other needs on a frequent basis vs piling a week or two worth of processed purchases into a car. (A process that favors large corprations, oh wait that couldn’t be the plan, could it?) A predominately walking/transit lifestyle generates small shops and healthier outcomes.
Nor do I think the Europeans are doing the same damn thing with consuermism. I refer you to another article about laws in different countries in Europe limiting big box stores. It is in a Harvard Design Review, Project on the City 2 edited by Rem Koolhaas and called a Guide to Shopping. In the essay you can see the extent Eurpoeans are willing to go protect the interests of the public as a whole over the interests of a few monopoly capitalists that prefer the American model of urban development.
The Europeans are much more aggressive in forming their environment to serve the general population. What is Germany at in renewable energy, something like 25%? In America it is at 6%. Or universal healthcare, the same attitude of serving the public prevails in Europe over America. That approach includes transit and citiy design and how to form it to best serve the population.
No doubt Europe has problems, but nothing is comparable to the corporate sponsored consumerism and associated poverty that you have in America. That approach is generating the urban form of St. Louis and the American city. By definition a walking city involves a different economic paradigm. One the corporate culture does not control.
The style of urban development surrrounding St. Louis verges on a sickness, Europe has not quite dengenerated that far yet.
Sure, there are many differences when you drill down far enough. I’m not arguing that. I’m not sure if you have ever left your region of Germany, but I can assure you that in both the USA and many parts of Western Europe, there are huge swaths of folks living very similar suburban lifestyles…. particularly, as was my very original point, concerning their styles of consumerism.
That is the point exactly, European suburban lifestyles are often far different than American. You would be hard put to name on European city with as a degenerate form of urban sprawl as is typical and ongoing in the region of St. Louis.
Of course there is a general ignorance on the part of Americans concerning other cultures, other cities and what makes them work.
I mentioned this in a previous post here on Urban Review, but to repeat, St. Charles County is getting two new bridges, one rebuilt, one new on 40 and rebuilt on 70. Hwy 370 in St. Charles is going to be extended to Hwy N which will open up farmland around New Melle and Wentzville for development and Mid Rivers Mall gets a shiny new interchange, complete with new outer roads. No transit or walkabilty mind you. It is public money spent strictly supporting sprawl. In general that is not how planning occurs in Europe, nor in many other major cities around the world.
I am not from Germany by the way, but St. Louis. Nor am I drilling down but rather taking the broadest approach possible. Yeah why should we expect the Missouri Department of Transportation to actually include transit options in their planning?
I just don’t think you are accurately representing planning in Europe or America. There are in fact vast differences if you care to look, or “drill down” as you say. Americans need to understand there are many alternatives to the completely auto centric, farmland killing process that occurs in so many cities, including St. Louis. The sprawl of St. Louis is nothing but a dead end. We keep pursuing it because it makes a few insiders very wealthy.
Sorry Steve about getting distracted from Uniglo. I just felt the need to counter the idea that consumerism, and thus the design of cities is the same the world over. Ultimately I think the reason Uniglo and Ikea don’t come to St. Louis is the dysfunctional planning that radiates from the core of the city.
“Wealthier people from the suburbs need to be willing to move into the poorer areas”…this is exactly how the Central West End, Laffeyette Square, Soulard and a few other neighborhoods have been rejuvinated. And I would re-think that wealthy live next to the poor. There are still many estates and such in Europe. Maybe the middle class live next door to the poor, but the wealthy….not so much.
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Since I’m not in their target demographic, I really don’t care, but I find this speculative piece to be at odds with your March 14th posting, “Enough With The IKEA Rumors”, where you said we shouldn’t be speculating until the deal is signed . . . .
I have no issues speculating when and if a retailer will be entering the St. Louis market, very different than going into detail on a specific site.
Pot, meet kettle. How about rereading your own post: “Possibly they might locate in the MX District or Ballpark Village, but my money is on The Galleria. Wherever they open it’ll put pressure on chains like Old Navy, Gap, etc.” At least in the Ikea story it’s been verified that the reported site is being negotiated for development.
I’m just talking out loud about where this retailer might decide to locate in the next 5-7 years.
I don’t care either. Oh but wait, I’ll be taken to task for that, so I’ll say something. Don’t we have enough clothing retailers? I remember the Urban bruhah and then wasnt’ there that upscale men’s line that went into the corner of the Galleria and ended up closing a short time later? I really think the standard indoor mall is a thing of the past. Outdoor malls, a quasi urban experience put in suburbia taken from our warmer climates seems to be the coming trend. So all joking aside, Crestwood just might land it should they go the retail route over housing route. Then again, I’m sure there will be plenty of room at the outlet malls in Chesterfield.
And about sizes….Ryley is right. Have you ever tried to find small or medium at Bass Pro Shops?
Ah yes, Mark Shale. Took me a while to remember the name of that place.
Walked into one of these in Italy, France or some other country a few years back. Basically an Old Navy/GAP clone….another outlet for Chinese textiles. Like the GAP/ON they had (casual) clothes for everyone, save perhaps octogenarians, so I’d say they will do well in Missourah so long as they stock plenty of XXXL.
I want to visit the new 80,000sf US flagship store in Manhattan.
Ya, the one I wandered into was huge. Much bigger than I was expecting.
Its funny how us North Americans often reflect in disappointment about our love affair with big box consumerism and its associated crappy consumer products (which we should – but that’s another topic)…the thing is we aren’t any worse than any other western nation. If you get yourself outside the historic core of most European cities (big or small) you’ll find suburbia there too, complete with cars, autoroutes, cookie cutter homes and national/international chain stores. The historic, walkable neighborhood lifestyle, that we New Worlders fall in love with after a few weeks abroad, is generally speaking, only for the rich in Europe (as it can be in Boston/New York, etc.). Living centrally, shopping at boutiques and making separate trips to the corner butcher, baker and candlestick maker are just as costly there as here.
I’m just saying we suck….but no more than everyone else 😉
“The historic, walkable neighborhood lifestyle, that we New Worlders fall in love with after a few weeks abroad, is generally speaking, only for the rich in Europe.”
Excuse me, but I live in Europe, I’m a dirt poor student, and I live in a historic, walkable neighbourhood. It is not only for the rich. In Europe there are usually no “poor” sections of town like in the States. In my city, rich and poor live next to each other, ride their bikes to work everyday, and shop at the same grocery stores. It’s a beautiful atmosphere and doesn’t take a lot of money. (Maybe living in the center of Paris is expensive but that’s Paris.) It is easy to live in many parts of Europe. You just have to be smart on where you purchase your necessities. There are market places which are usually cheaper than your grocery stores because anything imported is more expensive because of the EU tariff on imported goods. And yes, it can be the same in St. Louis. Gentrification is necessary. There is no other way. Wealthier people from the suburbs need to be willing to move into poorer areas and sacrifice a little bit of comfort. In the end, you’ll forget about life in the suburbs very quickly. We need more community in the States. At the end of the day, Americans who come to Europe are all “goo-goo ga-ga” over everything they see because it’s all so quaint. Remember, it took centuries for Europe to get to where it’s at now. America is a teenager. Grow up.
“It is easy to live in many parts of Europe. You just have to be smart on where you purchase your necessities.”
Agreed, but I was not speaking to the life of a poor student, ‘making a go of it’ as it were…..but rather to not making compromises and how in that context, the “quaint” European existance us North Americans often compare ourselves against, isn’t exactly what the majority of Europe is experiencing….and therefore we shouldn’t feel too badly.
I’m not sure where you are getting your information about Europe (maybe Fox News?) You are so off base it is not funny. The quality of living for the average person in Europe blows St. Louis off the map. In fact too many cities outside of Europe also far eclipse St. Louis. I don’t know how you can be so misinformed, but it is not from experience.
I’ll point you to an excellent study of suburban development outside of Stockholm, a book by David Pass called Vallingby and Farsta published by MIT press. It covers the poiltical process that was necessary to integrate transit, walkability and commercial interests into the new suburban developments. Farsta and Vallingby were built in the 60’s and 70’s. You are wrong about the city core and the suburbs also.
I never mentioned quality of life. American’s lose that battle every time when compared to most Western nations. I spent 30 years in Canada, so I can attest to that.
All I said was as North Americans we shouldn’t feel too badly about ourselves for the dominance of a consumeristic suburban lifestyle. Mainly because it’s not just this side of the pond that it is flourishing. Yes it may be at its best (or rather worst) here in the USA but at the end of the day there are still millions and millions of Europeans doing the same damn thing.
I’m sorry but your comments about the wealthy being the only ones with access to walkable cities along with the suggestion that somehow European suburbs are the same as St. Louis I thought would leave the wrong impression on someone who does not have knowledge otherwise.
In fact walking cities in Europe are just the opposite to what you claim. It is a major factor in equalizing movement accessibility between rich and poor all over Europe.
In St. Louis primarily the poor use transit out of necessity. In Europe everyone uses transit because they are complete transit systems. In many of these cities people choose to do without an auto.
Few in St. Louis do without an auto by choice.
The small shops you mention are an outcome of successful transit. It is a life style that has individuals stopping into shops for fresh bread, fish, veggies and other needs on a frequent basis vs piling a week or two worth of processed purchases into a car. (A process that favors large corprations, oh wait that couldn’t be the plan, could it?) A predominately walking/transit lifestyle generates small shops and healthier outcomes.
Nor do I think the Europeans are doing the same damn thing with consuermism. I refer you to another article about laws in different countries in Europe limiting big box stores. It is in a Harvard Design Review, Project on the City 2 edited by Rem Koolhaas and called a Guide to Shopping. In the essay you can see the extent Eurpoeans are willing to go protect the interests of the public as a whole over the interests of a few monopoly capitalists that prefer the American model of urban development.
The Europeans are much more aggressive in forming their environment to serve the general population. What is Germany at in renewable energy, something like 25%? In America it is at 6%. Or universal healthcare, the same attitude of serving the public prevails in Europe over America. That approach includes transit and citiy design and how to form it to best serve the population.
No doubt Europe has problems, but nothing is comparable to the corporate sponsored consumerism and associated poverty that you have in America. That approach is generating the urban form of St. Louis and the American city. By definition a walking city involves a different economic paradigm. One the corporate culture does not control.
The style of urban development surrrounding St. Louis verges on a sickness, Europe has not quite dengenerated that far yet.
Sure, there are many differences when you drill down far enough. I’m not arguing that. I’m not sure if you have ever left your region of Germany, but I can assure you that in both the USA and many parts of Western Europe, there are huge swaths of folks living very similar suburban lifestyles…. particularly, as was my very original point, concerning their styles of consumerism.
That is the point exactly, European suburban lifestyles are often far different than American. You would be hard put to name on European city with as a degenerate form of urban sprawl as is typical and ongoing in the region of St. Louis.
Of course there is a general ignorance on the part of Americans concerning other cultures, other cities and what makes them work.
I mentioned this in a previous post here on Urban Review, but to repeat, St. Charles County is getting two new bridges, one rebuilt, one new on 40 and rebuilt on 70. Hwy 370 in St. Charles is going to be extended to Hwy N which will open up farmland around New Melle and Wentzville for development and Mid Rivers Mall gets a shiny new interchange, complete with new outer roads. No transit or walkabilty mind you. It is public money spent strictly supporting sprawl. In general that is not how planning occurs in Europe, nor in many other major cities around the world.
I am not from Germany by the way, but St. Louis. Nor am I drilling down but rather taking the broadest approach possible. Yeah why should we expect the Missouri Department of Transportation to actually include transit options in their planning?
I just don’t think you are accurately representing planning in Europe or America. There are in fact vast differences if you care to look, or “drill down” as you say. Americans need to understand there are many alternatives to the completely auto centric, farmland killing process that occurs in so many cities, including St. Louis. The sprawl of St. Louis is nothing but a dead end. We keep pursuing it because it makes a few insiders very wealthy.
Sorry Steve about getting distracted from Uniglo. I just felt the need to counter the idea that consumerism, and thus the design of cities is the same the world over. Ultimately I think the reason Uniglo and Ikea don’t come to St. Louis is the dysfunctional planning that radiates from the core of the city.
“Wealthier people from the suburbs need to be willing to move into the poorer areas”…this is exactly how the Central West End, Laffeyette Square, Soulard and a few other neighborhoods have been rejuvinated. And I would re-think that wealthy live next to the poor. There are still many estates and such in Europe. Maybe the middle class live next door to the poor, but the wealthy….not so much.
I hear there’s space at the Crestwood mall…
I saw the Uniqlo segment on 60 Minutes the other night and it looks like a big difference with its competitors is a strong customer-service emphasis.