Primark opens milestone 450th store

Primark, the value fashion and lifestyle retailer that opened its first store in Dublin, Ireland, in 1969, has opened the doors to its 450th store in Orlando, Florida, as it continues to push forward with its US expansion.

The opening in Orlando, Florida, located near the Walt Disney Resort, marks the retailer’s 26th store in the US and comes off the back of Primark’s first-ever brand awareness campaign in the country.

The store coincides with the retailer’s 55th anniversary and follows recent store openings in Madrid, Spain, where Primark opened its 64th store in Spain, and brought the number of stores in Madrid up to 12.

Commenting on the milestone, Paul Marchant, chief executive of Primark, said in a statement: “What an exciting time for Primark, on one side of the Atlantic we’ve opened our 26th US store in Orlando Florida, which is our 450th globally, while on the other we’re celebrating 55 years of Penneys in Ireland.

“It all started in 1969 when our visionary founder, the late Arthur Ryan, opened the first Penneys store on Mary Street in Dublin. Today we’re incredibly proud to operate in 17 countries across the world, making looking good and feeling good cost less no matter the destination.”

Primark continues retail expansion in the US

The 36,200-square-foot Orlando store is located in The Florida Mall and spans across two floors. The store features the largest Disney collection of any Primark store, including an entire floor dedicated to Disney and Marvel collections and accessories.

Marchant added: “Our new Orlando store has the same great Primark offering that our international customers know and love, along with an impressive range of Disney merchandise, much of which you’ll only find at Primark. We know will be a huge draw for holidaymakers given the store’s close location to the Walt Disney resort.” 

Sarah Jackson, global director of license at Primark, said: “Primark has developed a long-standing collaboration with Disney over the last 11 years. We are excited to take the next step in our collaboration and bring Orlando shoppers Disney and Marvel-inspired collections at the prices that Primark is known and loved for.

"The dedication of an entire Disney and Marvel floor is a first for Primark, delivering an unparalleled experience, and is certain to be a huge hit with our customers.”

Primark, owned by Associated British Foods, first made its way across the Atlantic in September 2015, opening in Boston, Massachusetts, and has ambitions of opening 60 stores in the US by 2026. The Florida store will be followed up by the retailer’s first in the state of Michigan at Great Lakes Crossing Outlets in Auburn Hills, opening in September.

The retailer has opened 11 stores to date this year across Europe and the US. This includes its first store in Hungary, which opened in Budapest earlier this summer, the company’s 17th international market.