In Pictures: World's biggest Primark store opens

Budget retailer Primark has opened its largest store to date in Birmingham. The flagship, which marks the retailer’s 187th store in the UK, spans five floors across 160,000 square foot of retail space and employs more than 1,000 people.

The flagship showcases the budget-fashion retailer’s new experiential concept and features a number of food and drink options including a Primark Cafe with Disney that has a unique Disney themed menu inspired by Mickey Mouse and his friends, as well Primark’s first own-brand cafe, and a restaurant that is billed as a place to ‘grab and go’ or sit down for a full meal, including freshly baked pizza and locally-inspired street food.

The new contemporary store fit also includes a Duck and Dry Xpress blow-dry bar that offers customers a full beauty studio experience, with head to toe treatments in a boutique environment and follows the recent opening of Primark’s first Duck and Dry Xpress at its Oxford Street East store in London. While for the men there is a Mills barbers, fronted by session hairdresser and entrepreneur Joe Mills, offering slick cuts, wet shaves and facials.

The huge store also includes two concept mini-stores dedicated to Disney and Hogwarts Wizarding World. In the Disney shopping area, you can find everything from clothing to soft toys, close to the cafe on the top floor, as well as a Disney baby section with babywear and accessories, while on the first floor there is more Disney merchandise around including homeware, makeup and clothing.

While the Hogwarts Wizarding World is a licensed Harry Potter experience showcasing clothing, accessories and gifts. In addition, Primark has also included a Custom Lab, which allows customers to print bespoke, personalised T-shirts and other items.

Primark opens largest store in Birmingham

There is also an emphasis on sustainability in the flagship with the retailer offering its recycling scheme, where customers can easily recycle pre-loved clothes and shoes from any brand, as well as placing water fountains throughout the store, so customers can fill up their own water bottles, while all water sold in the store is in recyclable or recycled packaging.

Other features for the store that offers women’s, men’s and children’s fashion, footwear, accessories, lingerie and homewear, includes free WiFi and mobile device-charging stations, as well as locally-inspired products made exclusively for the Birmingham store.

Primark’s retail director for the UK and Northern Europe, Simon Gibbs said in a statement: “Primark is proud to be a part of the fabric of Birmingham. We’ve been in this great city since 2002 and have witnessed its incredible transformation, including the opening of the Bullring in 2003 and Grand Central in 2015.

“The opening of Birmingham High Street gives us the opportunity to bring our flagship product range and the very best of Primark to our customers in this vibrant and diverse city, which is something we have wanted to do for many years.”

Primark’s director of new business development, Tim Kelly added: “Our customers can expect a great experience at Primark Birmingham High Street. They can spend time with friends and family, eat great food, recharge and have fun, and find everything under one roof including fashion, beauty and homewear – all at an amazing price. We’re proud to bring this great store and everything it has to offer, to Birmingham.”

The Birmingham store brings 500 new jobs, while the another 430 existing employees have transferred from the Primark New Street store and more than 100 people have been employed in partner-run experiences including chefs, hair stylists and beauticians. The employees at Birmingham High Street will also enjoy a new “comfortable, open and modern back of house area”, with a kitchen and bright décor in their own Recharge Café. The store will also become a regional hub for employee training and career development.

Images: courtesy of Primark