November 24, 2015
Ninety fitting rooms; 250 mannequins; 900 employees.
Fashion retailer Primark is planning to go big with its second American location. So it’s opening right before one of the biggest shopping weekends, and in one of the biggest shopping centers, in the country.
The two-story, 80,700-square-foot fashion store will open in the King of Prussia Mall at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, with the Irish ambassador to the United States, Anne Anderson, overseeing the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
The Ireland-based company plans to respect the American tradition of Thanksgiving by remaining closed until 6 p.m. on Thursday, but afterward it will remain open for 28 continuous hours to observe the tradition of Black Friday.
“You can't pick a better mall on the East Coast or, I dare say, anywhere in America," said regional manager Terry McQuade, explaining why Primark chose King of Prussia as its first store in a U.S. mall.
The store employs 490 people for permanent positions and plans to hire another 410 employees seasonally. (See job openings here.)
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Its selling point, said McQuade, is “amazing fashion at a great value. On top of that, we have an amazing store environment.”
He described the set-up: entering from the upper level, customers see a glass atrium arrayed with four digital screens. Downstairs, the centerpiece display is a 360-degree, 30-screen “digital roundabout.”
In addition to apparel for men, women and children, the store will sell gifts (including Star Wars swag), home goods and cosmetics.
Primark, which has almost 300 stores in Europe, opened its first U.S. location in Boston. It plans to open stores in six more locations, including Freehold, New Jersey, and Willow Grove, Pennsylvania.
