The forthcoming arrival of a UNIQLO to Glasgow "marks a major win for the city centre", according to a business leader.

Back in May, The Herald revealed that the Japanese retailer has chosen Glasgow as the location for its second Scottish store.

The 22,500 square foot store will be located in the St Enoch Centre on Argyle Street and comprises a large retail unit spread across two adjacent buildings; the former St Enoch Picture Theatre and a 1930s commercial tenement which was significantly amended in the late 1930s and then extended by a storey in the late 1940s.

Preparatory works for the store are well underway, with The Herald revealing last week that Glasgow City Council has approved UNIQLO's plans to display of various illuminated and non-illuminated signage outside the store.

Planning papers indicate that the new store will have a 44-meter frontage between the entrance to the shopping centre and the H&M store at 55 St Enoch Square.

Speaking exclusively to our sister title The Herald on the new store plans, Richard Muir, Deputy Chief Executive for Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, said: "Glasgow is a dynamic, attractive destination for leading retail and leisure brands. The arrival of Uniqlo marks a major win for the city centre, reinforcing Glasgow’s appeal to global retailers and underscoring its reputation as a key shopping hub in the UK. ​

“This addition will not only strengthen the city’s retail offer but will also improve the local economy by creating jobs, increasing footfall and consumer spending, and supporting other businesses. We look forward to learning more about the plans to open the new store."

UNIQLO's forthcoming arrival in Glasgow comes amid an ambitious expansion plan which has pushed the retailer's global footprint beyond the 2,500-store mark.

UNIQLO opened its first store in Scotland in the former BHS store on Edinburgh's Princes Street back in April this year. In anticipation of the opening, customers began gathering in front of the store at 4.00am, forming a queue of about 700 people by the time the store opened.

Originally founded in Yamaguchi, Japan in 1949 as a textiles manufacturer, UNIQLO's product lines include cotton tees, curved jeans, light down coats, cropped sleeveless bra tops and pleated wide leg trousers. 

The retailer's Round Mini Shoulder Bag, costing £14.90, has been a best-seller for the chain and helped drive stronger sales in Europe, particularly among young women.