In a move ten years in the making, Irish retailer Primark will soon make its debut in Georgia. The company revealed plans Tuesday to open three new stores in the south including stores in Augusta, Greenville, and Arlington, Texas.
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| Interior of Primark store at King of Prussia - Credit Gensler |
A third store the company announced is planned for The Parks Mall at Arlington in Arlington, Texas, which will be the company's third in the Lonestar State.
"We are proud to introduce Primark to South Carolina and Georgia for the first time, while also strengthening our presence in Texas, on the heels of our first opening in the state late last year," said Kevin Tulip, President of Primark US.
The company last February opened a new 550,000 square foot distribution center in Jacksonville, which will aid the retailer in its planned expansion across the south.
Primark first started in Ireland in 1969, but it was not until 2015 that the company entered the U.S. market with a store in Boston. Since then, the company has expanded to about 30 stores across about a dozen states. A new Primark store is slated to open April 10 at Potomac Mills in Virginia, followed by stores in Memphis and Franklin, near Nashville, later this spring.
Existing southern Primark stores include outposts in Concord Mills near Charlotte and at Sawgrass Mills in Sunrise and The Florida Mall in Orlando, Florida.
The company has previously stated it plans to have 60 stores open across the country by 2026.
Primark is a purveyor of "fast fashion," an industry characterized by cheap garments designed to be disposable. In addition to clothing for men, women, kids and babies, the retailer offers accessories and footwear, beauty products, housewares, and some food items.
The company has licensing agreements with Netflix, Hello Kitty, Disney, and Marvel as well as the NFL, MLS and NBA. Primark also has active collaborations with singer and actress Rita Ora, as well as the late artist Keith Haring.
According to an article about Primark in The Economist, "For many shoppers, Primark has an irresistible offer: trendy clothes at astonishingly low prices. The result is a new and even faster kind of fast fashion, which encourages consumers to buy heaps of items, discard them after a few wears and then come back for another batch of new outfits."
Fellow fast fashion retailer Forever 21 filed for bankruptcy earlier this week for the second time in six years and plans to close all of its U.S. stores.
Seemingly realizing society's increased importance placed on sustainability, Primark indicates it will be "making all of its clothes from recycled or more sustainably sourced materials by 2030, halving carbon emissions across its value chain and pursuing a living wage for workers in its supply chain." Additionally, a section of its website - Love It For Longer - provides tips and tutorials on sewing and mending with videos and even in-store classes.
The company did not reveal when it hopes to open the three stores it announced Tuesday, but with each measuring about 30,000 square feet in existing spaces, one would hope they could open in time for the holiday shopping season late this fall.
As for potential for additional expansion into the greater metro Atlanta area, that seems likely but will just be a matter of time. Recent and upcoming closures of Macy's, Sears, and Kohl's stores have in some cases already given way to new and growing brands, but some sites remain available and could appeal to Primark.
Have you ever been to Primark? Do you view Primark as better than most "fast fashion" brands? Where in metro Atlanta would you like to see Primark open?
Please share your thoughts below.
3 comments:
No Atlanta location?!?
We visited a Primark in Barcelona when my luggage was lost. Definitely tons of inventory at good prices. Store was packed with people. Noticed many security guards watching for shop lifters. Should do well here.
Is this another Forever 21 with cheap disposable clothes bound to close?
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