New Penneys opens in Tallaght, creating 300 jobs for local community 

There was big commotion out in Tallaght this week as Taoiseach Micheál Martin joined excited locals at The Square Shopping Centre to officially open the country’s newest Penneys store. The 37th branch of the Primark chain in Ireland, it marks the retailer’s first new opening in Dublin in close to six years.

Furthering its commitment to continued expansion (both here and abroad), the new opening follows a €10million backing by the retailer and is part of Primark’s pledge to invest €250million in Ireland over the next 10 years. 

Located on the ground floor of The Square, it is one of the largest fashion stores at the shopping centre with 43,500 square feet of retail space and a Nails™ beauty salon. The retailer also opened two other international stores this week – one in Czech Republic in the city of Brno, the other in San Sebastian, Spain – bringing the total number of Primark stores to 408 globally. 

Speaking at the Tallaght store opening, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said that the company’s success is proof of “how valued the brand is in our lives in Ireland.” “Penneys is at the centre of Irish and international retail,” he noted. “The jobs announced today is testament to Primark’s strength and continued growth. Penneys is a significant employer in Ireland and internationally, and its growth brings footfall back to our towns and cities in Ireland. I congratulate all at Primark on today’s opening in Tallaght and wish this beloved retailer continued success.”

Echoing the Taoiseach’s sentiments, Paul Marchant, chief executive of Primark, said that it was a “proud day” for all at Penneys. “We know our customers have been waiting for Penneys at The Square for a long time and we are delighted to finally open our doors to this great community. We now know more than ever how much it matters to our customers that we stay true to our mission of offering something for everyone at prices that are affordable to as many as possible. Our continued growth demonstrates the confidence and commitment we have in our Irish business, and we are proud to continue to play our part in supporting Irish cities, towns and communities,” he finished.

However, with news of Kourtney Kardashian’s appointment as Boohoo’s new “sustainability ambassador” still fresh in the public’s mind, many have raised concerns about Penneys own sustainability model too. 

“I’m struggling with this,” Sheelin Conlon, owner of Dublin’s eco-conscious The Kind shop, commented of the new opening on Instagram during the week.”The good news [is that] it’s creating 300 new jobs in Tallaght, but [it’s] also capitalising on the fact that the area has a huge amount of social housing where people will be very price sensitive.” 

As high street retailers go, it’s important to note that Primark has been making strides in ethical trading, employee welfare and sustainable manufacturing. And while fast fashion obviously isn’t the best choice environmentally (or ethically) speaking, it is still possible to be intentional with such purchases. For example, avoid impulse buying, only go for pieces you know you will get 30 wears out of (or more!), take care of your clothing so that it lasts, pair new season purchases with existing pieces already in your wardrobe…

Conversations around sustainability are extremely important but they are also extremely nuanced as it’s an issue that is intrinsically linked with privilege, so, unfortunately, there is no “one size fits all” solution here.

You can read more about Primark Cares and the company’s sustainability plans here.