This past Friday, fashion chain Primark unveiled its 450th outlet globally at The Florida Mall in Orlando, marking the 26th storefront in the US. Also announced is the impending opening of its 27th American store, situated in Auburn Hills, Michigan, on 12th September this year. This new store will span 36,600 square feet (sq ft).
Interestingly, as Primark is fondly known as Penneys in Ireland, this coincides with the 55th year since Arthur Ryan, the founder, set up the maiden shop on Dublin’s Mary Street back in 1969. The Orlando store is comparable as it extends over 36,200 sq ft on two tiers, near the Walt Disney resort.
Speaking about these milestones, Paul Marchant, Primark’s CEO, expressed enthusiasm about the exciting journey the brand has been on and hoped tourists travelling to Orlando would pay a visit to the fresh store. He mentioned the parallel of celebrating 55 years of Penneys in Ireland while launching the 450th Primark store on the other side of the Atlantic.
Orlando counts as the third most adored destination by the Irish, with visitor statistics from Visit Orlando reaching approximately 107,000 in 2023.
Primark’s American adventure began in 2015 when its initial US store was established in September in Boston, Massachusetts. The brand has inaugurated 11 new outlets across Europe, including one in Budapest in the summer, marking the 17th international market penetration.
Renown for employing upwards of 80,000 individuals in 17 countries within the US and Europe, Primark’s annual report for 2022/2023 disclosed a stellar performance with £9,008 million in revenues and an adjusted operating profit of £735 million in 2023.