Dive Brief:
- Primark is opening its seventh Texas location at Houston’s Willowbrook Mall and its first Indiana location at the Castleton Square Mall in Indianapolis, the international clothing retailer said in a press release on Monday.
- The two store openings will bring its U.S. store count to 44 locations. When both new stores open in July, they each will feature nearly 30,000 square feet of selling space, the company said.
- Last week, the company opened another store at the Parks Mall at Arlington in Arlington, Texas.
Dive Insight:
Primark, the Dublin-based apparel retailer, is growing its U.S. presence ahead of the back-to-school and summer vacation shopping season.
In its announcement, the retailer promoted value-focused summer essentials, such as women’s denim starting at $12, children’s sweatshirts beginning at $8 and men’s T-shirts from $5. Shoppers at its new Texas store will find gear from local teams, including the Cowboys, the Spurs and the Rockets, according to the press release.
“Our continued U.S. ambition is something we're really proud of. I'm as excited about expanding Primark's presence in the Lone Star State as I am at our entry into Indy,” Kevin Tulip, president of Primark U.S., said in a press release. “We know that Primark's offering of quality fashion at exceptional value is more important than ever to today's consumers, and we're looking forward to opening our doors and welcoming customers in Houston and Indianapolis.”
With its upcoming Texas and Indiana store openings, Primark is strengthening its foothold in the U.S. market. In May, the company opened a flagship location in New York City. It was the 11th location in the state, which Primark attributed to demand from New York shoppers. Before its New York store opening, the retailer had set up shop in other states such as Illinois, Florida and Tennessee.
Primark’s store expansion is continuing apace following several key leadership changes and an ownership transition. In March, the company named Eoin Tonge as its new chief executive officer, taking the helm after serving as its interim CEO for a year. The company also appointed Filip Ekvall as its chief commercial officer, a newly created position. Months later, the company brought on Lucy Slinger as its new CFO, bringing prior experience as deputy CFO for Ikea franchisor Ingka Group.
The leadership shakeup came as the retailer separates from its parent company. In April, Primark owner Associated British Foods announced it would split off the retailer from sister company FoodCo by the end of 2027. At the time of the announcement, ABF CEO George Weston said Primark was investing in its stores and digital operations “across all its markets to deliver its ambitious growth opportunities over the medium and long term.”
