A pair of overseas discount retailers land on Concord Mills for their NC expansion

Two popular, low-priced retailers are expanding in the U.S., including with stores in the Charlotte area.

European retailer Primark will make its North Carolina debut opening at entrance 2 at Concord Mills, according to the mall’s website. The store sells women’s, men’s and children’s apparel, as well as lingerie, beauty and homeware at low prices.

And Australian retailers Cotton:On also is expanding with plans to open at entrance 6 at the mall. The store sells affordably-priced men’s and women’s apparel and accessories.

Both retailers’ prices compete with other budget-friendly retailers like H&M, Walmart, Target and Old Navy.

Concord Mills website lists both as “coming soon.”

Officials with Primark, Cotton: On and mall property owner Simon did not immediately respond to requests for comment Monday.

Primark plans

The Dublin-based retailer opened its first U.S. store in 2015 in Boston with expansion plans. That store is 77,000-square-foot store and four floors with 84 fittings rooms and a phone charging station with free WiFi, Fashion Network reported.

Primark has 16 stores in the U.S. and will reach 60 stores by the end of 2026, according to the company’s website. The Concord Mills store will be its first in the Carolinas.

Women’s jeans are priced $16 to $22 and dresses $11 to 25, while men’s jeans are $18 to $28 and men’s shirts are $14 to $28, according to Primark’s website.

Primark, with stores mostly in the Northeast U.S., plans a Southern expansion in Alabama, Florida, North Carolina and Texas, according to the Wall Street Journal. Primark also relies only on physical stores, mostly in malls, because it does not have online sales. However, customers can view items online and check whether they’re available at local stores.

Founded in 1969 under the Penneys brand, Primark has over 400 stores and 72,000 employees in 15 countries with plans to make it 16 this year opening in Slovakia.

The Concord store is hiring for full-time positions including human resources and department manager.

Cotton: On plans for NC

There are 500 Cotton: On stores with over 5,500 employees, according to Concord Mill’s website. Cotton: On opened its first store in 1991 in Geelong, Australia.

Cotton On Group has eight brands with 1,500 stores in 22 countries and employees over 20,000 people, according to the company. Among it’s other brands are Cotton On Body, underwear; Typo, stationery; and Rubi, women’s footwear.

There are 194 stores in the U.S., including Cotton: On Kids which opened in July at Carolina Place mall in Pineville. It’s the first store in the Carolinas for the company.

Cotton: On has been rapidly expanding across the U.S. since opening its U.S. headquarters in Glendale, California, in 2017.

The stores sell trendy clothes to women, men, and children for low prices. Two-thirds of the merchandise at Cotton: On is priced under $25, the Los Angeles Times noted.

The company plans to open thousands of stores over the next five years, according to the mall’s website. Cotton: On’s popularity has been growing across the U.S., BuzzFeed reported last summer.

Other new stores at Concord Mills

Other new stores and venues that have opened this year or plan to open at Concord Mills include:

▪ Gilly Hicks, part of Hollister Co., will open at entrance 2, and is listed as “coming soon” on the mall’s website. The store carries undergarments, swimwear, loungewear and sleepwear. The store is hiring for full-time cashiers and assistant managers.

▪ The Escape Game, now open at entrance 1, featuring five themed escape rooms.

▪ Alex Baby & Toy, now open at entrance 5, with brands including G.I. Joe, Masters of the Universe, Lego, Marvel and Star Wars.

▪ Splash, at entrance 6 between Old Navy and Burlington, sells plant-based, homemade cosmetics, including bath soaps, body butters, scrubs, candles and hair products.

Concord Mills at 8111 Concord Mills Blvd. has 184 stores, according to the mall’s website.