Irish fast-fashion retailer to open first Texas store in Katy
Primark, which calls itself a value retailer and is one of the major players in the international fast-fashion industry, is planting its flag in Texas.
The Dublin-based clothing, home goods and beauty products store known for its remarkably low prices, on Wednesday announced that it has signed a lease at Katy Mills, west of Houston. It will be one of the chain’s first stores in the state, along with locations at La Plaza Mall in McAllen and Cielo Vista Mall in El Paso. All three stores will have about 35,000 square feet of retail space.
Primark didn’t say when the Katy store would open.
In addition, Primark said, it has signed leases in Woodbridge, Va.; Hyattsville, Md.; and Franklin, Tenn., and opened a distribution center in Jacksonville, Fla., on Wednesday.
The company began the year with more than 20 stores in the United States, after opening its first U.S. location in Boston in 2015, and has plans to expand to 60 by 2026, it said.
Kevin Tulip, president of Primark US, said that the company sees growth opportunities in the southern states, including Texas, and has already expanded the store it opened at Sawgrass Mills in Sunshine, Fla., in 2020.
“Because of the value we offer, there’s a common misconception that Primark is an off-price retailer, but we are not,” he said. “At Primark, you aren’t going to find last season’s product, you are going to find this season’s trends and your everyday essentials, all at the best price possible.”
The company was founded in Dublin in 1969 as Penneys, a shop devoted to bringing affordable clothing to normal people.
It’s since expanded to 15 countries under the Primark moniker. Outside of Ireland, the U.S. retailer J.C. Penney’s has staked a legal claim on the Penneys name.
While Primark predates the world of “fast fashion,” it has since incorporated the concept, offering capsule collections from designers and collaborations with various brands to offer what it describes as “signature combination of the latest fashion trends and essentials.”
The fast-fashion industry, which features trend- and runway-inspired designs at rockbottom prices, has come under critical scrutiny from sustainability-minded consumers. In 2021, Primark launched its “Primark Cares” initiative, which aims to reduce fashion waste and halve the company’s carbon emissions.