Uniqlo sister brand GU opens first U.S. store in New York

GU Co., the sister brand of the Uniqlo clothing chain under Fast Retailing Co., opened its first U.S. store in New York on Thursday, while also launching an online shop with a delivery service covering the entire country.

The “GU NY SOHO” flagship store, selling clothing, shoes and bags, is located in the SoHo shopping district in Manhattan and has a total retail space of about 950 square meters, it said.

Earlier this month, the company set up a U.S. headquarters function to handle business strategies for the large U.S. market, looking to accelerate store expansion there.

“This New York store is a testament to the fact that GU will boldly proceed toward becoming a global brand,” GU CEO Osamu Yunoki said at the opening event on Thursday. “We will measure our success here and go on to expand to other regions,” he added.

Established in 2006 in Japan, GU has around 470 outlets, mainly in Japan, with a select number of stores throughout Asia.

GU Co.’s first U.S. store “GU NY SOHO” opens in New York on Sept. 19, 2024. (Kyodo)