Dive Brief:

• Japanese apparel company Uniqlo is opening a new store in Connecticut and three in California as it continues apace with its planned U.S. expansion.

• The retailer has more than 1,300 stores all over the world.

• Meanwhile for Valentine’s Day, the retailer partnered with Square, the mobile payments vendor, and its Square Marketplace online ordering site, with super-fast in-store pickup (within an hour). The Square Market Uniqlo gifts included special gift boxes and furoshiki, traditional Japanese gift-wrapping cloths.

Dive Insight:

Uniqlo is one retailer seemingly unfettered by sales declines and price pressures. The clothing apparel retailer’s goods aren’t exactly fast-fashion but are definitely tagged with discount-to-moderate prices. Uniqlo has fun basics with a reputation for well maintained physical stores. And little adventurous touches, like its partnership with  Square Marketplace and its Magic Mirrors, show that the retailer is up for pleasing customers with a few bells and whistles, too.