(Above) Ribbon cutting ceremony on October 23, 2015, opening the UNIQLO store on Michigan Avenue. Left to right: Chicago Bulls cheerleaders, Shobi Khan, chief operating officer of General Growth Properties, Larry Meyer, CEO of UNIQLO USA, 42nd Ward Alderman Brendan Reilly, Stacy Hamai, general manager of the UNIQLO store on Fifth Avenue in New York, Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Billy Dec, CEO of Rocket Ranch Productions, Toshiyuki Iwado, Consul-General of Japan in Chicago, and Scott Sonnenberg, vice president of corporate sales for the Chicago Bulls. Photo by Gustav Hoiland. (Click on image to view larger version.)

9-Feb-16 – Many businesses make an impact on the Magnificent Mile but the one enhancing the shopping/dining/entertainment/hotel district the most last year was the Japanese fashion store that opened last October.

The Magnificent Mile Association announced on Monday it is giving its annual Business Impact of the Year award to UNIQLO because of its “landmark design, energy, and employment it brought to the area.”

When UNIQLO opened on October 23 on floors 4-6 at 830 North Michigan Avenue, across from Water Tower Place, it created 400 jobs, according to 42nd Ward Alderman Brendan Reilly.

“UNIQLO demonstrated great vision in designing a flagship experience that is emblematic of their brand – bright, colorful, and wholly inviting to shoppers exploring the Magnificent Mile,” says John Chikow (left), President/CEO of Magnificent Mile Association.

The CEO of UNIQLO USA, Larry Meyer, calls the Mag Mile “one of the nation’s best and most popular high streets.”

UNIQLO is a brand of Fast Retailing Company, Ltd., a Japanese retail holding company that has more than 1,700 clothing stores in 17 markets worldwide.

The Magnificent Mile Association will present the award at its annual meeting on Tuesday.