The opening of the 8,600-square-foot pop-up in Wars Sawa Junior will mark the first time the Fast Retailing brand to extend its physical presence to Poland.
LONDON — Japan’s leading fast-fashion brand Uniqlo is opening a pop-up in Domy Towarowe Wars Sawa Junior in Warsaw, the capital city of Poland, this fall.
The opening of the two-floor, 8,600-square-foot pop-up store will mark the first time the Fast Retailing-owned brand will extend its physical presence to Poland, a market that has been served by the retailer’s Europe online store for the past six years.
The brand operates offline stores in the U.K., France, Belgium, Germany, Spain, Denmark, Sweden, Netherlands and Italy.
Located a stone’s throw from the landmark building Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw, the store will stock items from the brand’s women’s, men’s and babies collections.
Taku Morikawa, chief executive officer of Uniqlo Europe, said the decision to establish a physical presence in this new market “builds on our experience of offering customers the latest products via the Uniqlo Europe online store.”
“Through our pop-up store, we hope to gain a deeper understanding of the Polish market and use learnings to make long-term plans for the future,” he added.
In a previous interview, Morikawa told WWD that Uniqlo’s European expansion plans are not to increase sales, at least not for now.
“The priority now is to show our company and to be respected by the consumers with flagship stores showing everything and offering a good shopping experience,” he said.
Scott Dwyer, group managing director of retail at Atrium European Real Estate, the owner of Wars Sawa Junior, believes Uniqlo will “feel right at home” as “Wars Sawa Junior is the perfect place to start a presence in the Polish market for the most popular international brands.”
“The location is right in the bustling city center, close to the city’s busiest commuting hubs, business districts and most popular tourist attractions. By working with brands such as Uniqlo, we wish to attract a new generation of customers that values a genuine relationship with brands and the ability to directly experience the products they offer.”