Japanese apparel retailer UNIQLO will open a flagship store at CF Pacific Centre in downtown Vancouver in spring 2027, establishing a long-awaited presence in the city’s central shopping district. The store is expected to occupy approximately 37,000 square feet.
The location will be part of the former Nordstrom department store premises at Granville and Georgia, which landlord Cadillac Fairview is redeveloping for multiple major retailers. UNIQLO will join Aritzia and Simons in a project that is reshaping one of downtown Vancouver’s most prominent retail properties.
Jeffrey Berkowitz, co-CEO of Montreal-based Aurora Retail Group, represented UNIQLO in the CF Pacific Centre leasing transaction. Berkowitz has been involved in the Japanese retailer’s Canadian expansion, working on its retail real estate requirements as the company has grown its national store network.
The opening fills a notable gap in UNIQLO’s Canadian network. The company has operated in Metro Vancouver since 2017 and now has six stores across the region, but has yet to establish a downtown Vancouver location despite having major stores in central Toronto and Montréal.
Downtown Vancouver Flagship More Than a Decade in the Making
UNIQLO’s interest in downtown Vancouver dates back to at least 2014, two years before the retailer entered the Canadian market. At the time, the company was exploring a major flagship on Robson Street, Vancouver’s best-known downtown shopping street and an established destination for international fashion retailers.
Retail Insider reported in June 2014 that UNIQLO was seeking a large Robson Street location. Subsequent reporting revealed that the company had been in discussions to occupy a proposed three-level retail building on the 1000 block of Robson Street, immediately beside Sephora.
That building was eventually completed at 1067 Robson Street and is now occupied by Foot Locker. The athletic footwear retailer opened its new flagship there in December 2020, creating a three-level retail destination in premises that had previously been considered for UNIQLO.
In 2017, UNIQLO founder Tadashi Yanai discussed the possibility of opening a downtown Vancouver flagship as early as 2018. That anticipated opening also failed to materialize, leaving the company without a location in Vancouver’s central shopping district even as its suburban network expanded.
The contrast with other Canadian markets was notable. UNIQLO entered Canada in September 2016 with stores at CF Toronto Eaton Centre and Yorkdale Shopping Centre, subsequently expanding into Québec with a major flagship at the Montréal Eaton Centre.
UNIQLO Operates Six Metro Vancouver Stores
UNIQLO opened its first British Columbia store at Metropolis at Metrotown in Burnaby in October 2017. The original two-level location measured approximately 20,630 square feet, according to earlier Retail Insider reporting.
The retailer subsequently expanded to CF Richmond Centre, Guildford Town Centre in Surrey, Coquitlam Centre and Willowbrook Shopping Centre in Langley. Its sixth Metro Vancouver store opened at Tsawwassen Mills in Delta in October 2026, extending the company’s presence into the southern part of the region.
Those locations serve major suburban shopping destinations, while CF Pacific Centre will provide access to downtown residents, office workers, tourists and customers using Vancouver’s rapid-transit network. The planned flagship would become UNIQLO’s seventh Metro Vancouver store if its existing regional network remains unchanged through the opening.
At approximately 37,000 square feet, the Pacific Centre store would be considerably larger than UNIQLO’s other British Columbia locations. The retailer has not publicly disclosed the new store’s precise selling area, number of levels or final entrance configuration.
Former Nordstrom Building Being Divided for Major Retailers
The UNIQLO announcement is the latest step in Cadillac Fairview’s redevelopment of the former Nordstrom flagship at CF Pacific Centre. Nordstrom occupied approximately 230,000 square feet across three levels before closing its Canadian operations in 2023.
Cadillac Fairview has been reconfiguring the former department store into separate retail premises. A building permit application previously contemplated four retail units, with individual street entrances forming part of the redevelopment plans.
Vancouver-based Aritzia is developing a flagship measuring approximately 41,800 square feet at the corner of Robson and Howe streets. The multi-level store, expected to open in 2027, will include a restaurant component and represent a significant expansion of the retailer’s downtown presence.
Québec-based Simons is preparing a 92,000-square-foot store across three floors, with an opening targeted for fall 2027. The retailer has announced an investment exceeding $55 million in the project, which will become its second location in the Vancouver region following Park Royal in West Vancouver.
Based on the reported measurements, Aritzia, Simons and UNIQLO would collectively account for approximately 170,800 square feet of the former Nordstrom premises. Subtracting that figure from the building’s previously reported 230,000-square-foot footprint produces a theoretical balance of approximately 59,200 square feet.
That calculation does not necessarily represent the amount of space available for another retailer, since the redevelopment may involve changes to circulation, common areas and the measurement of individual premises. Although the original plan contemplated four retail units, the final configuration of the remaining space has not been publicly confirmed.
The redevelopment is part of a wider repositioning of former Nordstrom locations across Canada. At CF Toronto Eaton Centre, Cadillac Fairview has also divided the former department store premises for multiple tenants, including Simons, Eataly and Nike.
Flagship Adds to UNIQLO’s Canadian Expansion
UNIQLO has expanded steadily across Canada since its 2016 market entry, opening stores in major metropolitan areas and regional shopping centres. Parent company Fast Retailing reported 39 Canadian locations as of September 30, 2026, with additional openings included in the retailer’s fall expansion program.
The company sells its LifeWear assortment of everyday apparel, including casual clothing, outerwear, basics and technical garments for men, women and children. Its Canadian expansion has included a mix of large urban stores and smaller locations serving established regional shopping markets.
CF Pacific Centre provides access to a different retail environment from UNIQLO’s existing Metro Vancouver stores. The downtown property connects with Vancouver’s rapid-transit network and surrounding office towers, while its central location serves residents and visitors shopping along Granville and Robson streets.
The new flagship is scheduled to open in spring 2027, ahead of Simons’ planned fall opening. With Aritzia also preparing its new store, Cadillac Fairview is moving toward the next phase of the former Nordstrom redevelopment, while the identity and configuration of the remaining retail space have yet to be announced.
