"He goes up to the store."

Translation: Li iras ĝis la butiko.

[Canvasian]

Why gxis and not al?

[mihxal]

"al" means rather "to, in a direction, toward"

"ĝis" means "up to"

[Canvasian]

"Up to" as in going right up to a place, but not actually entering it?

[mihxal]

yes