KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 10 ― Despite the Covid-19 pandemic and the slow global economy, Uniqlo seems to be on a roll with a new, exciting megastore in the pipeline here in Malaysia.

The Japanese fast fashion retailer announced today that the new addition however will not be in a shopping mall.

Instead, it will be a roadside, community-based store in Bandar Sri Damansara, surrounded by residential townships, schools and office buildings.

Scheduled to open in December, the new store will be located at Damansara Avenue.

It will include, shopping space designed to accommodate some of the essential needs of the surrounding community.

Uniqlo Malaysia and Singapore chief executive officer Yuki Yamada said in a statement that the new addition coincides with their 10th anniversary in Malaysia this month.

"Over the years, we have developed a strong presence here with an online store and 51 physical stores in shopping malls located in major cities and towns across 12 states,” he said.

Yamada added that the roadside store marks their continuous expansion in this market and hoped it would complement their existing network of mall-based outlets.

"Our new store is carefully designed to ensure enough space and accessibility for all, including families with children, elderly people and people with disability, and will feature its own car park for our customers.

"Essentially, the new Uniqlo roadside store will serve as a close-to-home store for customers in Bandar Sri Damansara and surrounding townships, giving locals the chance to enjoy a quick and convenient trip to the store,” added Yamada.

Uniqlo’s first roadside store in Japan opened in 1985.

Malaysia will be the fifth country outside Japan and the third in Southeast Asia to have a roadside concept store following successful launches of the store format in South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and the Philippines.