Uniqlo launches first roadside store in SE Asia

• Mar 23, 2018

Fast Retailing Co, operator of the Uniqlo fashion brand from Japan, is set to expand further in Thailand after today’s official opening of Southeast Asia’s first Uniqlo roadside store on Phatthanakan Road in eastern Bangkok. 
Uniqlo Phatthanakan has a sales space of 1,440 square metres and expects to draw 2,000 visitors a day. The investment value was not disclosed. 
Satoshi Hatase, group senior vice-president of Fast Retailing and chief executive of Uniqlo Southeast Asia, said the company expects to have 10 Uniqlo roadside stores in Thailand within the next five years. Uniqlo is a global casual apparel retailer that originated in Japan. It now has a presence in 19 countries in Southeast Asia, Oceania, Europe and North America. The chain has about 2,000 stores worldwide, 850 of which are in Japan and about half of which are roadside stores. 
The company launched the first Uniqlo roadside store in 1985 in Japan and later introduced the concept in South Korea in 2012 and Taiwan in 2013, with 30 and 10 such stores, respectively. 
Thailand becomes the fourth country to get a Uniqlo roadside store. 
“In line with the philosophy of our roadside stores, Uniqlo Phatthanakan aims to boost the vitality of the local area, becoming a lifestyle and cultural hub and driver of local 
economic development and prosperity,” Mr Hatase said. “The company hopes Uniqlo roadside stores will stimulate communities across the region, improving convenience for customers, raising property values and attracting new and sustainable businesses around each new store location.” 
Uniqlo expanded into Southeast Asia in 2009, when it opened its first store in Singapore. It now has 165 stores in the region, including 35 in Thailand. 
Regional sales hit ¥110 billion (UScopy.04 billion) in 2017. 
With continued expansion and the introduction of the Uniqlo roadside model, the company expects sales in Southeast Asia to grow by 30% a year for the next five years. 
“We are fully committed to Southeast Asia,” Mr Hatase said. “[It] is now a key growth engine for Uniqlo globally, and we aim to become No.1 for customer satisfaction and brand popularity. We want to be the favourite brand of Southeast Asia.” He said the company aims to bring Uniqlo’s quality and service experience to more customers. 
It is planning more stores in Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines. 

Source: https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/news/1433434/uniqlo-launches-first-roadside-store-in-se-asia