In 2026, a Uniqlo opening on Market Street is literally cause for dancing in the street.
At least, that was the case Friday, as DJ sets boomed down Ellis Street, and artists glued together installations on a block that has struggled with high-profile vacancies. After a few tough years for retail, the Japanese apparel brand brought out a full-scale festival for its store opening. The hundreds who came along for the ride seemed to agree it was an occasion worth celebrating.
A line ahead of the 10 a.m. opening snaked down Market Street, past Levi’s and the locked San Francisco Centre mall, then halfway down the block at 5th St. Bikers swerved to get a better look. A taxi driver shouted from his window: What are all these people doing on a workday morning?
The grand opening itself wasn’t without hiccups — one of the escalators to the second floor was out, and the ribbon-cutting ceremony was awkwardly bisected by busy commuters using the street to get to work — but spirits were high. Despite the long lines, visitors reported waiting only about 25 minutes to enter. For early birds, freebies from Dandelion chocolate, Philz Coffee, and Boudin Bakery awaited.
Opening day at Uniqlo on Market Street. | Source: Jessica Blough/The Standard
Kai Ning had brought his two sons, 5 and 7, to witness the momentous event. He had the day off for the long weekend, and the trio were headed to Fleet Week festivities when they stumbled on the long line outside the store at 801 Market St.
“A bunch of stuff unique to San Francisco, that’s what we’re excited for,” he said.
By midday, the store had set up a line inside just for speciality Muni merch, wrapping around the second floor. Employees brought out plastic bins of T-shirts from the collaboration, which turned Muni’s “worm” logo (opens in new tab) into rolling hills and highlighted classic San Francisco delicacies along each line. Some shirts were still warm from their printing. Organized stacks devolved into picked-over piles as the store cranked out more shirts. Demand had exceeded expectations, an employee told shoppers.
“Muni merch, I’m a sucker,” said Ellie MacLean, who had been at Levi’s next door and dropped by Uniqlo to see what the hubbub was about.
“I left work and blocked my calendar,” said Marianne Buonopane, in line next to MacLean. The two had entered as strangers but bonded over their shared love of SF-branded clothing.
Buonopane said she plans to visit often, since she works nearby. MacLean said she was happy to see the space on Market Street filled.
“They’re revitalizing and working on getting stuff back in Union Square,” she said.
As the doors opened that morning, representatives of the company and the city split a Uniqlo-branded banner into seven pieces. Mayor Daniel Lurie, the city’s biggest cheerleader, was notably absent.
Anne Taupier, executive director of the Office of Economic and Workforce Development, took a moment to highlight a collaboration with Ruth Asawa School for the Arts, in which students designed a collection of T-shirts available for purchase at Uniqlo.
“This is the kind of work that can make a young artist believe their future is here in San Francisco,” Taupier said.
Around the block, Ellis Street was cordoned off for more festivities, including the sale of cube croissants, origami stations, and lessons on how to write your name in Japanese. Scientists from the Exploratorium did live demos; representatives of the Internet Archive taught onlookers how to use the Wayback Machine.
“This is my thing right here: grand openings, freebies, community,” said Rosy Barrera-Cortes, who had visited Uniqlo before pulling a chair up to SCRAP’s bag-charm making station. She showed off a tiny fleece jacket and two pairs of leggings she had bought for her granddaughter.
“I’m from Austin, Texas, and they don’t do nothing like this,” she said. “Why would anybody move away from something like this?”