When will Uniqlo open in Toronto?

While Toronto is now home to global fashion retailers like H&M, Zara and Urban Outfitters, the lack of a Uniqlo store has been a conspicuous absence. I recently reached out to Uniqlo headquarters with an inquiry on whether Canucks can expect a dedicated retail store for the brand anytime soon. The long and short of it? No. A friendly PR rep told me to keep an eye on the website for future updates, but as of now, there are no plans to expand the Japanese giant's North American presence north of the U.S. border.

Luckily, some plucky entrepreneurs have taken the initiative to temporarily address the problem. Last year, Lost and Found became the first Toronto retailer to carry Uniqlo. After a trial run, they decided to take it off their shelves. The stock was difficult to source, they said, because Uniqlo isn't keen on working with local accounts in markets where they don't have retail operations. The line did sell extremely well, though, even at marked up prices.

As of this week, Community 54 is the latest local retailer to offer Uniqlo to Toronto shoppers. The Parkdale shop stocks a selection of tees ($50), including the company's Andy Warhol line, and several styles of Uniqlo pants ($85). They purchase them abroad and ship them to Canada. The final retail price obviously reflects the effort so don't go here expecting the dirt cheap prices you'd find at their three stores in Manhattan.