Uniqlo opens first Cambridge store at Grand Arcade

Uniqlo has opened its first Cambridge store at Grand Arcade, following a complex reconfiguration and retrofit project led by Chapman Taylor.

The new 9,472 sq ft store, which opened on Thursday 24 September, occupies the former Ted Baker unit on St Andrew’s Street and extends across two floors. The store brings Uniqlo’s LifeWear concept to Cambridge for the first time, offering womenswear and menswear alongside the retailer’s Autumn/Winter 2026 collection.

Chapman Taylor’s Megan Lees attended the opening, having led the project from its early concept stages and worked closely with the landlord team at Grand Arcade and the contractor through the delivery of the scheme.

Creating the new store involved a series of complex interventions to bring together multiple existing units located at significantly different levels and dating from different periods in the building’s history.

The project incorporates part of the historic St Andrew’s Street building, requiring a sensitive approach to the existing architecture while creating a contemporary retail environment that meets Uniqlo’s operational and brand requirements.

Challenges included working with older timber floors and uneven levels, retaining the characterful historic façade and internal mouldings, and undertaking substantial structural alterations.

A new wrap-around staircase and lift core improved connectivity between floors, while new Uniqlo-style shopfronts established a strong contemporary presence within the existing streetscape.

Uniqlo has opened its first Cambridge store at Grand Arcade, following a complex reconfiguration and retrofit project led by Chapman Taylor.

The new 9,472 sq ft store, which opened on Thursday 24 September, occupies the former Ted Baker unit on St Andrew’s Street and extends across two floors. The store brings Uniqlo’s LifeWear concept to Cambridge for the first time, offering womenswear and menswear alongside the retailer’s Autumn/Winter 2026 collection.

Chapman Taylor’s Megan Lees attended the opening, having led the project from its early concept stages and worked closely with the landlord team at Grand Arcade and the contractor through the delivery of the scheme.

Creating the new store involved a series of complex interventions to bring together multiple existing units located at significantly different levels and dating from different periods in the building’s history.

The project incorporates part of the historic St Andrew’s Street building, requiring a sensitive approach to the existing architecture while creating a contemporary retail environment that meets Uniqlo’s operational and brand requirements.

Challenges included working with older timber floors and uneven levels, retaining the characterful historic façade and internal mouldings, and undertaking substantial structural alterations.

A new wrap-around staircase and lift core improved connectivity between floors, while new Uniqlo-style shopfronts established a strong contemporary presence within the existing streetscape.

Working closely with the landlord team from conception and alongside the contractor during construction, Chapman Taylor helped coordinate these interventions to create a coherent space ready for Uniqlo’s fit-out team to bring the new store to life.

Congratulations to everyone who delivered the project.