MANAMA: Mahmood Rafique, Editor: Internationally acclaimed fashion retailer Primark on Wednesday has officially opened its first store in Bahrain, located in the heart of the business district at City Centre Bahrain, in partnership with leading international retail franchise operator Alshaya Group. The opening marks Primark’s 20th international market entry, and third country in the Middle East following Kuwait in 2025 and UAE earlier this year.
With thousands of customers attending the opening event, the flagship Primark store in Bahrain offers over 43,000 sq. ft of shopping space, set over two floors, employing over 320 colleagues.
Present at the opening ceremony were H.E. Micheál Smith, Ambassador of the Republic of Ireland to the Kingdom of Bahrain and Mr. Khalifa Bin Braik, CEO, Majid Al Futtaim Asset Management, and John Hadden, CEO at Alshaya Group.
Opening day 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.
The celebrations also marked the traditional acknowledgment in Bahrain of the national day of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on the same day.
“I am delighted to attend the opening of the first Primark store in Bahrain, as one of my first engagements in the region. I’ve no doubt that this iconic Irish brand will continue to excite customers and I would like to congratulate Alshaya Group on their partnership with Primark. Good luck and every success to you,” H.E. Micheál Smith, Ambassador-designate of Ireland to the Kingdom of Bahrain, after the ribbon cutting-cum-formal opening, said.
“It is fantastic to see Primark open its doors in Bahrain and reach the milestone of our 20th international market. We are excited to build on the momentum we have seen in our stores in Kuwait and the UAE, as we bring Primark to more customers across the region. Our partnership with Alshaya Group is going from strength to strength and we look forward to seeing Bahraini customers experience Primark for themselves,” Eoin Tonge, Primark CEO, said.
“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 H.E Ambassador Smith for his support, and to our partners at Majid Al Futtaim,” John Hadden, CEO, Alshaya Group, added.
“We are delighted to welcome Primark to Bahrain for the very first time at City Centre Bahrain, bringing one of the world’s most recognised fashion brands to our customers in the Kingdom. This opening also marks the third Primark store to launch across Majid Al Futtaim destinations in partnership with Alshaya Group, following City Centre Mirdif and Mall of the Emirates. It reflects our continued focus on bringing sought-after international brands and new experiences to our markets and is another important milestone in a growing partnership that will see Primark expand further across our portfolio in the region,” Khalifa Bin Braik, CEO, Majid Al Futtaim Asset Management said.”
The opening in Bahrain will be followed, in few weeks, Primark’s first-ever store in Qatar on 29th October in Doha Festival City.
Looking ahead, 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, further strengthening the brand’s presence across existing markets and bringing Primark to even more communities throughout the region.
