Primark Store Launch in Prague Postponed to Next Year

The coronavirus pandemic forced to close Primark’s stores and branches across Europe and postponed the opening in Prague in the fall.

On Thursday, the Irish chain confirmed the opening of its first store on Wenceslas Square will take place “early next year”.

“We will publish more information next week, including a specific opening date,” said Kateřina Outlá from the Grayling agency, which represents Primark in the Czech Republic.

Czechs have long been waiting for the store to open. There was even a bus tour devoted to transporting Czech shoppers to the nearest Primark in Dresden, Germany.

“The business that originates in Prague will be the flagship of Central and Eastern Europe. Customers from Bohemia and Moravia, who have been going to Dresden, Linz, and Vienna until now, will start going to Prague because it will be a huge branch, which will be located in an interesting place and in a new building in the very center of Prague,” Jan Kotrbáček from the real estate consultancy Cushman & Wakefield, a partner of Primark in the Czech Republic, said.

Primark sells everything from baby and kids clothes to women and men’s apparel, homewares, accessories, beauty products, and confectionery.

Much of what they sell is fast fashion, products based on current fashion-show trends. They do this by having a high turnover rate with items sold quickly after they are made.

They have a high turnover rate with items sold quickly after they are made. Additionally, due to their well-known brand and a large already-established amount of loyal customers, the company has low advertising costs, further allowing them to offer their famously low prices.

Abandoning the ‘stack ’em high’ formula of other discount retailers, Primark prefers to think of its large stores as ‘concept stores’ that offer a boutique feel, even though they occupy large spaces – in Prague’s case, almost 5,000 square meters over three floors – which can be adapted quickly to customers’ changing tastes.

Primark has more than 350 locations across Europe and North America. Most of them are in the UK, Spain, and Ireland.