The recent openings of Miniso and Memory Shop reflect Gen Z’s interest in Asian culture, one of the owners says.
August 13, 2025
2 minutes to read
International businesses are popping up faster than ever in Harvard Square with numerous recent and anticipated openings.
Harvard Square is home to at least eight international and internationally inspired stores with the most recent additions being Miniso and Memory Shop.
“We pride ourselves on being welcoming and expressing great desire for diversity,” Denise Jillson, Harvard Square Business Association’s executive director, said. “These new editions are exactly that.”
Miniso is a Japanese variety store that sells cosmetics, mystery boxes, and accessories featuring popular characters including Miffy, Stitch, and Hello Kitty. The Harvard Square location opened on July 12.
Caitlyn Harpin, the manager of Miniso, said their team chose to open in Harvard Square due to it being accessible by public transportation.
Miniso is widening its product range to include some American products, such as Jurassic Park merchandise, to widen its demographic, which is currently families with children and students.
With its first location opening on Newbury Street in September, the photo booth store, Memory Shop, opened its second location in June, bringing the Vietnamese-inspired business to Cambridge.
“The reason we chose Harvard was because of the students,” said Brian Cheung, a co-founder of Memory Shop. “Once the students come back, I think they will be really happy that there is another experience and activity to do.”
Cheung hopes to open more Memory Shop locations throughout the Boston area, if interest and popularity continue to grow.
Brian Cheung’s father, Henry Cheung, reopened Anime Zakka’s Harvard Square location in June, right above Memory Shop in The Garage shopping complex.
Anime Zakka, which also has a Newbury Street location, previously operated in Harvard Square from 2012 to 2021, according to The Harvard Crimson. Henry Cheung told The Crimson he reopened in Cambridge to make anime locally available again.
Anime Zakka sells stuffed animals, clothing, and novelty items related to anime.
Joining Anime Zakka and Memory Shop, a tea and shaved ice shop is set to open in The Garage, according to Jillson.
Bringing the square’s total up to nine international stores, Muji, a minimalist, aesthetic homegoods and stationary store, recently announced it is taking over the former Anthropology space at 48 Brattle St., according to Jillson.
While the rise of international businesses feels “fresh and new,” Jillson said international businesses have always been a part of Harvard Square.
Prior to these recent openings, Harvard Square was already populated by international stores, including Swiss Watchmaker, Italy’s Moleskine journal store, Sweden’s Fjällräven clothing store, Cardullo’s Gourmet Shoppe, and Bodhi Leaf, a family-owned Tibetan tea store.
The recent influx of openings is due to “a new era of post-COVID expansion,” according to Jillson. Harvard Square’s 900,000 square feet of retail space is 93% occupied, and 70% of the businesses are local and independent, she said.
Brian Cheung believes the rise also comes from the upturn of Gen Z’s interest in Asian culture post-COVID.
The rise in popularity of Asian culture in the U.S. began with K-pop in 2012 when Psy released the hit song “Gangnam Style.” And popularity grew in 2018 following the K-pop groups BTS and Blackpink releasing new music, according to Rolling Stone.
“Gen Z people love the immersive cultural experiences” that are common in Asian culture, Cheung said.
Harpin agreed, “People think the culture out there is cool.”