Japanese apparel retailer Uniqlo has officially confirmed its long anticipated entry into the Winnipeg market, announcing the opening of a store at CF Polo Park Mall later this spring. The announcement marks another milestone for the brand’s Canadian expansion strategy and confirms Manitoba as the latest province to join Uniqlo’s steadily growing national footprint.
The CF Polo Park opening represents Uniqlo’s first officially announced Winnipeg location. However, it will not be the only one. Local media reports and previously disclosed permitting activity indicate that Uniqlo is also preparing to open a second Winnipeg store at St. Vital Centre. Retail Insider first reported on the St. Vital Centre location in December 2025, based on city building permits and landlord filings, positioning Uniqlo’s Manitoba entry as a two store rollout rather than a single site test.
Together, the two locations signal a confident market entry and reinforce Uniqlo’s strategy of launching with multiple stores in new metropolitan areas where demand, demographics, and mall infrastructure support scale.
CF Polo Park Anchors Uniqlo’s Official Winnipeg Debut
In its announcement, Uniqlo confirmed that the CF Polo Park store will open this spring, bringing the brand’s LifeWear concept to Manitoba for the first time. CF Polo Park is Winnipeg’s largest and most productive enclosed shopping centre, long regarded as the city’s dominant regional retail destination. Its tenant mix, traffic volumes, and central location align closely with Uniqlo’s preferred Canadian mall profile.
Uniqlo’s CF Polo Park store will be on the second level of the shopping centre as per the lease plan below. Uniqlo will occupy more than 18,000 square feet in space Y015 on the plan, and possibly in some adjacent vacant spaces.
The retailer emphasized that the Winnipeg opening reflects growing customer affinity for LifeWear and positions the brand to serve Manitoba consumers more directly. Since launching in Canada in 2016, Uniqlo has consistently targeted high performing regional malls as entry points into new provinces, using flagship caliber locations to establish brand awareness and operational scale.
Yuya Tanahashi, Chief Operating Officer of UNIQLO in Canada, described the opening as a milestone moment for the company’s national growth.
“This is a massive milestone for UNIQLO in Canada. As UNIQLO continues to resonate with Canadian customers, Winnipeg offers exciting potential. We aim to deliver essential clothing that complements their lifestyles as building blocks of their wardrobe. We look forward to introducing our innovative LifeWear products here, and to engaging with new customers.”
The CF Polo Park store will offer Uniqlo’s full LifeWear assortment across men’s, women’s, kids, and baby categories. Shoppers can expect seasonal collaborations, the UT graphic T shirt range, and the same proprietary fabric technologies that have driven strong performance across Canada, including HEATTECH and AIRism. As with other Canadian locations, the Winnipeg store will be fully integrated with uniqlo.com, combining physical retail with omnichannel convenience.
A Second Store at St. Vital Centre Underscores Market Confidence
While the CF Polo Park store represents Uniqlo’s official announcement, it is only one part of the brand’s Winnipeg strategy. Retail Insider previously reported that Uniqlo is preparing to open a store at St. Vital Centre, Winnipeg’s second largest enclosed shopping mall. Building permits issued by the City of Winnipeg confirmed a substantial interior renovation project designed to accommodate a large format Uniqlo store.
The permit documentation outlines the consolidation of multiple mall units into a single retail footprint, along with corridor modifications and mechanical and electrical upgrades. According to landlord filings, the space is being prepared specifically for Uniqlo, signaling a long term commitment rather than a temporary or experimental location.
St. Vital Centre serves Winnipeg’s southeast trade area and draws from both established neighbourhoods and rapidly growing suburban communities. With more than 900,000 square feet of leasable area, ample parking, and a strong regional draw, the mall fits Uniqlo’s Canadian site selection model closely.
The arrival of Uniqlo also fills a notable gap left by Hudson’s Bay, which closed its St. Vital location following its bankruptcy. For the mall, Uniqlo represents a contemporary global anchor capable of driving traffic, refreshing the tenant mix, and supporting the centre’s next phase of repositioning.
Nearly a Decade of Measured Growth in Canada
Uniqlo’s entry into Winnipeg builds on nearly ten years of carefully paced expansion across Canada. The brand entered the market in 2016 with two flagship stores in Toronto, at CF Toronto Eaton Centre and Yorkdale Shopping Centre. Those openings were positioned as long term investments and served as beachheads for a national rollout.
From Toronto, Uniqlo expanded westward and eastward in deliberate stages. Vancouver became an early priority, followed by Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa, and Montreal. Rather than pursuing rapid saturation, the company focused on high traffic malls, regional clustering, and operational consistency.
Uniqlo operates 37 stores across Canada, making it one of the most significant international apparel retailers in the country. Ontario remains the brand’s largest market, but recent expansions have emphasized geographic balance and underserved regions.
The opening of a store in Victoria at Mayfair Shopping Centre in late 2025 marked Uniqlo’s first location on Vancouver Island and underscored its coast to coast ambitions. Similar logic applies to Winnipeg, which represents a critical prairie market long absent from Uniqlo’s Canadian map.
A Strong Pipeline of New Canadian Markets
The Manitoba expansion fits squarely within Uniqlo’s broader North American growth strategy. Fast Retailing has set a target of reaching 200 stores across North America by 2027, with Canada playing a central role in that plan .
Uniqlo is expected to to continue filling geographic gaps across the country following the Winnipeg launch. Markets such as Halifax, Saskatoon, and Regina are increasingly viewed as logical next steps, particularly within leading regional shopping centres capable of supporting Uniqlo’s large format model.
A consistent force behind Uniqlo’s Canadian expansion has been Aurora Retail Group. Jeff Berkowitz, Co-CEO of the firm, has represented Uniqlo in Canada since the brand entered the country in 2016. He has negotiated every Uniqlo lease nationwide, playing a central role in site selection, landlord negotiations, and long term market strategy.
LifeWear and the Canadian Consumer
At the core of Uniqlo’s success in Canada is its LifeWear philosophy, which emphasizes simple, high quality, functional clothing designed to fit everyday life. Unlike traditional fast fashion models driven by rapid trend cycles, Uniqlo focuses on longevity, fabric innovation, and versatility.
The model has resonated with Canadian consumers seeking value, durability, and seasonally appropriate apparel. Products such as HEATTECH have proven particularly effective in cold climate markets, while AIRism and Ultra Light Down support year round layering and comfort.
Uniqlo’s vertically integrated SPA model allows it to control product development, manufacturing, and distribution, supporting consistent quality and pricing across markets. This structure has enabled the brand to scale while maintaining operational discipline.
Employment and Community Engagement in Winnipeg
As part of the Winnipeg launch, Uniqlo confirmed plans to expand its hiring efforts in the city. The company stated that it aims to create a welcoming and inclusive workplace, with multiple roles available across store operations and management.
Uniqlo will also host a series of career fairs in Winnipeg, providing opportunities for prospective employees to learn more about the organization and its culture. Interested applicants are encouraged to explore opportunities through Fast Retailing’s career platform: www.fastretailing.com/employment
London Ontario????
We need Uniqlo at Oakridge park or downtown Vancouver
There are strong yet unconfirmed rumors Uniqlo is seriously considering a flagship store to occupy part of vacant Nordstrom in downtown Vancouver. Besides the confirmed Aritzia, a Simons, Uniqlo and Zara are the current rumored frontrunners to split the Nordstrom space. Landlord Cadillac Fairview can confirmed four large tenants will share the space.