Miniso opens in Uxbridge
This article was written by one of our Young Reporters, a scheme that gives 14 to 18-year-old school students a chance to write for a real newspaper. Find out more at the Young Reporter website.
On the 5th December 2025, MINISO Uxbridge opened in the local Uxbridge shopping centre, The Chimes.
The brand focuses itself on capturing the essence of Japanese variety shops, with “kawaii” culture being apparent across all MINISO stores.
MINISO has over 60 retail branches in the UK, but its Uxbridge branch is the first in the Borough of Hillingdon.
This means that customers living in the borough no longer have to travel out to areas such as Central London to shop at MINISO.
Inside of the Uxbridge branch, cute, round plushies line the shop’s walls. Across the MINISO store there are aisles of aesthetically pleasing stationery and household items. On sale in the store, there are items such as uncommon snacks, tech and hair accessories and makeup. Keyrings are also a large part of what the shop has to offer.
MINISO appeals to a range of ages, though it is most notably recognised amongst children, teenagers and young adults.
Though usually, students appreciate the shop the most as it is a key stationary supplier.
Due to the variety the shop has to offer, vast audiences can easily find something to their liking.
Popular items include viral 'blind boxes', packages containing a surprise collectible figurine or keychain inside. Fueled by the Popmart blind box craze, MINISO's 'blind boxes' create excitement amongst customers as they try to build up their collection of figurines to complete a set.
MINISO is an official partner of Sanrio, the brand notably known for its characters, the most recognizable being Hello Kitty. Miniso offers a selection of Sanrio merchandise for customers to choose from, another large contributor to their success.
Other notable brand partnerships include Disney and Pokémon, both partnerships exclusive to the store.
Some customers have expressed gratitude about the MINISO Uxbridge store locally.
A local year 9 student says “I like going to MINISO. It's good for buying nice and thoughtful gifts for my friends”
Another student says “I was really really excited when they had opened a MINISO nearby.”
Overall, the reception for the shop is positive and appreciative of having a convenience store of MINISO's nature. Locals are pleased as a new and innovative shop is added to The Chimes, and avid customers are grateful for its arrival.
