MANAMA: Mahmood Rafique, Editor: Primark, Irish international fashion retailer, which opened its first ever store in the Kingdom of Bahrain has emerged an instant hit with thousands of shoppers from Bahrain and neighbouring countries, principally from Saudi Arabia, have been queuing for hours to enjoy shopping at the brand-new store since its opening on Wednesday last.
The opening celebration coincided with National Day of Saudi Arabia celebrations included entertainment, giveaways and activations designed to create a memorable shopping journey for customers as they experienced Primark for the first time in the Kingdom.
John Hadden, CEO at Alshaya Group, on the sidelines of the opening of Primark in an exclusive interview told The24X7News Bahrain (www.twentyfoursevennews.com) that Alshaya Group would open second store at the Avenues Mall within six months. The expansion will bolster Primark brand’s presence in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Bahrain’s opening marked Primark’s 20th international market entry, and third country in the Middle East following Kuwait in 2025 and UAE earlier this year.
“As we approach a year since we opened our first Primark store in Kuwait, we are thrilled to open our fifth store here in Bahrain as we continue our partnership with Primark to bring the much-loved brand to the region. The response to the store has been amazing – thank you to our customers in Bahrain and from Saudi Arabia for joining us at the fantastic opening, and his support, and to our partners at Majid Al Futtaim,” John quoted saying at the opening.
Primark’s expansion across the GCC is set to continue into 2027, with the first Primark in KSA set to open in March 2027. A new location in Kuwait at Aventura Mall and a second store in Qatar at Villaggio Mall are also set to open in October, further strengthening the brand’s presence across existing markets and bringing Primark to even more communities throughout the region.
Primark’s recent milestones and global reach (2010 to present) include US debut with opening first store in Boston in 2015; opened a massive flagship store in Birmingham in 2019, recognized as the world’s largest retail fashion store. Digital and Modern Shift: Introduced click-and-collect services and a mobile app while maintaining a strong focus on brick-and-mortar experiences. Today, it operates over 500 stores internationally.
Primark founded in Dublin, Ireland, in 1969 by Arthur Ryan under the original name Penneys. Renamed Primark outside of Ireland in 1976 because of a trademark conflict with the American retailer JCPenney.