Amid star-studded celebrations, traffic-stopping special offers and plans for world domination, Uniqlo has launched its jumbo Midtown flagship.

If you somehow missed the three-story photos—or the logo’s three crimson squares—on the new store’s frontage and on city buses, pop-up shops all over Manhattan, or multiple media mentions, the high concept, low priced mecca for perfect basics plus seriously creative designer collabs has put down some impressive roots stateside with a brand-new (as of October 14) 89,000 square foot monster—with 100 fitting rooms and 50 registers—of a flagship location on 5th Avenue and 53rd Street. The new store’s first day saw lines winding as far as Broadway and beyond for opening day celebration specials—like limited edition skinny fit jeans for $9.90, half-price cashmere sweaters and more (RackedNY). The previous evening’s opening party kept barrels of sake flowing, actress Susan Sarandon modeling and soul singer Sharon Jones performing as well as kickoff toasts from the company’s top brass (New York Observer).

Though the brand has been quietly building a cult following for its understated, streetwise styles from its bright, bustling vertical cube of a SoHo address, the 5th Avenue store marks the beginning of a new chapter for Japanese parent company Fast Retailing. Ambitious expansion plans call for over 200 Uniqlo stores to open worldwide annually, including locations in all major U.S. cities and 20 in New York (a 34th Street location opens on October 21, and, yes, the specials will be there too). There are currently only 1,000 Uniqlo stores worldwide, mostly in Asia. Loved for affordable denim in the latest styles, artist-designed t-shirts and creative partnerships, Uniqlo is banking on their lines of high-tech products like Heattech (a fabric that raises body temperature) to drive the sales necessary to rival top tech brands like Apple. If you want to sample Uniqlo’s coolness but aren’t in the mood to shop, interactive store-launch features and cool apps and gadgets at the Uniqlo website will keep you busy for a while (CNN Money).