{"id":225053,"date":"2026-05-08T20:49:15","date_gmt":"2026-05-08T20:49:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/225053\/"},"modified":"2026-05-08T20:49:15","modified_gmt":"2026-05-08T20:49:15","slug":"nyc-goes-wild-for-bargain-fast-fashion-megastore-opening-as-affordability-crisis-spirals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/225053\/","title":{"rendered":"NYC goes wild for bargain fast-fashion megastore opening \u2014 as affordability crisis spirals"},"content":{"rendered":"

Fast fashion is in its prime.<\/p>\n

The May 8 grand opening of Primark<\/a> \u2014 the Irish-born multinational retailer known for selling trendy clothing, home goods and beauty products at bargain bin<\/a> prices \u2014 at 150 W. 34 St. brought Manhattan\u2019s penny-pinched shoppers out in the masses.<\/p>\n

Approximately 3,000 of them, in fact. As the affordability crisis continues to hit New Yorkers, they lined up from 3 a.m. to be among the first to experience the flagship, eager to get their favorite styles for a steal.<\/p>\n

\"PeopleThe new Primark flagship location is located in Manhattan on 150 W. 34th St. Robert Miller for NY Post<\/p>\n

Quintasha Watson (a 34-year-old MTA bus driver) and Victoria Crowell (a 23-year-old recent college grad) are two sisters from Harlem who are already big Primark fans, previously driving to the American Dream location in New Jersey \u201cmaybe three times a month,\u201d and love the store\u2019s hard-to-beat prices.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re finding bags for like $6, pants for $10 \u2014 we even got our niece a few outfits that were like $8,\u201d said Crowell.<\/p>\n

She also said that her family appreciates that they can put together full, fashionable outfits for a reasonable rate.<\/p>\n

\"QuintashaQuintasha Watson arrived at the store\u2019s grand opening in a celebratory mood. Robert Miller for NY Post<\/p>\n

\u201c(That) you can buy an outfit \u2014 get the top, bottom and put the whole outfit together for less than $20 \u2014 that\u2019s awesome,\u201d Watson added. \u201cWe\u2019re all kind of in mid-recession right now \u2026 Living in New York City, rent is high, and even transportation is going up. People think that you have to spend $1,000 or more to look decent, when I\u2019m looking at shirts right now, and I\u2019m pretty sure they\u2019re not past $10.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can come in here, get a whole business outfit for an interview and look like you spent $500, but you probably spent $50,\u201d she continued.<\/p>\n

The new brick-and-mortar, which joins the ranks of similarly priced chains in NYC like H&M<\/a> and Zara<\/a>, features self-checkout<\/a> and regular tills. It will be the store\u2019s fourth NYC location directly within city limits \u2014 with others directly in Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island \u2014 the 11th store in the state of New York and 40th in the US.<\/p>\n

\"WandaOne serious shopper decided to attend Primark\u2019s grand opening on her day off. Robert Miller for NY Post<\/p>\n

A-list celebs like Sarah Jessica Parker<\/a>, Emily Ratajkowski<\/a> and Andy Cohen<\/a> were among the first to enjoy the new location at a pre-opening party for the brand on Wednesday night, where merchandise rings in at around $10 on average, according to a representative.<\/p>\n

Other bargains include men\u2019s tees, which begin at $5; boys\u2019 sweatshirts start at $8; and women\u2019s denim goes up from $12. Large luggage, the store\u2019s most expensive item, can ring up at over $50.<\/p>\n

Even the Empire State Building<\/a> got in on the fashion-forward fun, lighting up<\/a> in the brand\u2019s signature aqua hue on Thursday in anticipation of the opening.<\/p>\n

Friday morning\u2019s dedicated linegoers were treated to various forms of entertainment and goodies, like beats from DJ Luna R\u00f3sa<\/a> and sweet treats from Joe\u2019s Coffee.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"CustomersBargain-hunters check out the goods at Primark\u2019s new store. Robert Miller for NY Post<\/p>\n

\"PeopleApproximately 3,000 people waited in line before the new Primark\u2019s ribbon-cutting ceremony. Robert Miller for NY Post<\/p>\n

Beatrize Villanova, a 31-year-old from Brazil who was visiting the Big Apple on vacation, told The Post that she\u2019s been to Primark stores twice while visiting Europe and wanted to take a peak at trending budget-friendly styles to bring home.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it\u2019s very fresh,\u201d Villanova told The Post. \u201cEverything that\u2019s trending right now, they have here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHerald Square is the center of fashion in the U.S. and global,\u201d Kevin Tulip, president of Primark US, who\u2019s been with the company for 25 years since he was 16-years-old, added to The Post. \u201cSo being able to open a 54,000 square foot flagship store in the center of the fashion capital of the world is something that we\u2019re incredibly excited about.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"BeatrizBeatrize Villanova, seen here with a $6 T-shirt, is excited to bring home fashion-forward styles from the Manhattan Primark to her home country of Brazil. Robert Miller for NY Post<\/p>\n

\"CustomersPrimark customers appreciate the brand\u2019s premium clothes and goods for less-than-premium prices. Robert Miller for NY Post<\/p>\n

Naquan Peterson, a 29-year-old security worker from Brooklyn who came across Primark\u2019s grand opening by accident but decided to stop in to buy blue and pink outfits for his coming baby\u2019s gender reveal<\/a> (and picked up some Knicks<\/a> gear along the way), emphasized that his Primark haul\u00a0 \u2014 which he estimated to be around $60 \u2014 probably wouldn\u2019t be possible at other retailers for the same price.<\/p>\n

\u201cLife is hard for everybody,\u201d Peterson said. \u201cWe\u2019ve got to make it work with clothes, with food, gas is going up. So I feel like we\u2019ve always got to just think smart \u2026 Imagine me going to Macy\u2019s<\/a>. I\u2019d probably get like two things \u2014 I couldn\u2019t get all of this. Macy\u2019s would probably be, like, $200.\u201d<\/p>\n

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