PRIMARK CONTINUES US EXPANSION WITH OPENING OF JACKSONVILLE, FL DISTRIBUTION CENTER, ANNOUNCEMENT OF 4 NEW LEASES

Retailer Answers Demand for its Value Shopping Experience with Greater Distribution Capability and New Stores in Virginia, Maryland, Texas and its first store in Tennessee

BOSTON, Feb. 7, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Primark, the international clothing retailer that offers quality fashion at value prices, announced today the opening of a new distribution center in Jacksonville, Florida. The distribution center, which comprises over 550,000 square feet of warehouse space in North Jacksonville, will serve Primark's expansion in the US with a focus on Southern states including Florida, Texas, and more.  

In addition to today's opening, the retailer also announced lease signings with the intent to open new stores at:

• Potomac Mills, Woodbridge, Virginia
• Mall at Prince George's, Hyattsville, Maryland
• CoolSprings Galleria, Franklin, Tennessee
• Katy Mills, Katy, Texas

Totaling more than 128,000 square feet of retail selling space, these new stores will bring Primark's signature combination of the latest fashion trends and essentials for the whole family, as well as homewares and beauty, at the affordable prices American shoppers are seeking out, to more communities and an entire new state with the addition of Tennessee. These new stores will be serviced by the Jacksonville DC and Primark's existing DC in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

"We've seen growing demand for Primark stores across the US, particularly in our southern locations where we've even expanded our store footprint in our Sawgrass Mills store to meet customer demand," said Kevin Tulip, President of Primark US. "The opening of this distribution center in Jacksonville comes at the perfect time for the brand and our customers as we set our sights on continued growth across the US, including in Florida, Texas, as well as our first store in Tennessee, which we announced today. We're thrilled to continue to bring 'Primania' to new customers with our expansion." 

Florida continues to be a thriving retail destination with an ever-increasing population driving consumer demand. Primark recognizes opportunity in the southern US, and with the Jacksonville distribution center supporting this growth, the retailer is now more poised than ever to expand in the Sunshine State with new store plans in Orlando and more to come.

Primark plans to import cargo through the Jacksonville Port Authority (JAXPORT), an international trade seaport strategically located within a one-day truck drive of nearly 100 million U.S. consumers.

"We welcome Primark to Jacksonville and are thrilled to be a part of the global retailer's expansion in the United States," said Eric Green, CEO of the Jacksonville Port Authority. "As new European ocean carrier services call our port, it further strengthens our connections to businesses throughout Europe, which is a target growth market for us, and supports jobs and economic impact for our city and state."

Through the opening of its new distribution center, Primark, in partnership with DHL and JZI, is creating jobs for and investing in the Jacksonville community. In addition, the retailer is meeting consumer demand as more and more shoppers learn of the brand and products fly off the shelves.

Since 2013, Primark has doubled its global warehouse capacity. This is Primark's 2^nd distribution center in the US, in addition to Bethlehem, PA. Primark is currently operating in 24 stores in the US, across 9 states and has plans to reach 60 stores in the US by 2026. 

To help shoppers find what they're looking for, Primark's website allows customers to browse its product offering and check which products are available in their local store. In addition, Primark shoppers are now able to opt in to email communications. Sign up here to stay updated on Primark's latest product drops, style inspiration, store opening dates, and more. 

About Primark
Primark is an international fashion retailer employing more than 70,000 colleagues across 16 countries in Europe and the US. Founded in Ireland in 1969 under the Penneys brand, Primark aims to provide affordable choices for everyone, from great quality everyday essentials to stand-out style across women's, men's and kids, as well as beauty, homeware and accessories. With a focus on creating great retail experiences, Primark has over 400 stores globally and continues to expand across new and existing markets with the aim of reaching 530 stores by the end of 2026. Primark has 24 stores in 8 states across the U.S. with plans to expand to over 60 locations by 2026, to find your local Primark in the US visit here. 

Primark is working to make more sustainable fashion affordable for everyone. Primark's ambition is to give clothing a longer life, protect life on the planet and support the livelihoods of people who make Primark products. As part of this, it has unveiled a series of commitments it is working to achieve by 2030. These include making all its clothes from recycled or more sustainably sourced materials, ensuring clothing is recyclable by design, halving carbon emissions across its value chain and pursuing a living wage for workers in its supply chain.   

SOURCE Primark