A long-vacant building in the Downtown Crossing section of Boston is set to become the home of Uniqlo, a Japanese fashion chain, according to the Boston Business Journal .

Uniqlo will take over the Washington Street storefront once occupied by the Barnes & Noble bookstore, which vacated the building nearly two decades ago.

The announcement about the Downtown Crossing location included other new locations in New York, San Francisco, Chicago and elsewhere, according to Fast Company, which first reported the retailer’s expansion .

Uniqlo has another Boston location on Newbury Street and outlets in Natick, Chestnut Hill, Braintree and Burlington.

Before the pandemic, Downtown Crossing area businesses relied on area office workers and tourists, making the new Uniqlo location a boon to t

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