If you’ve walked around downtown Boston lately, then surely you have seen a brown paper bag with the trademark blue Primark logo written across it. The formerly UK-only brand seems to be dominating Downtown Crossing. It’s the British invasion part two, only now it’s for affordable clothing. Although, to say affordable seems to be an understatement for their truly cheap prices.
The flagship Boston store, which plans on opening ten locations across the East Coast in the near future, is four floors high and 70,000 square feet. At first, the massive store is daunting and overwhelming. Clothing, shoes, hats, beauty supplies, plus home accessories are some of the things you can expect to find at extremely low prices; some underwear is one dollar.
The enormous store is an empire and its workers are its helpful army. Their battle armor is a black and blue uniform shirt, in order for them to be easily identified. The store has created hundreds of jobs for the Boston area—even if the employees don’t receive a discount on any of the merchandise. The employees keep the store stocked, but it’s often difficult to find things in your size, especially if your size is different than the average or in high demand.
The more you walk around the store, the more products you touch, the more you realize that while the prices are low—the quality of the clothing is truly lacking. Stiff materials and scratchy fabrics are the normal, but what can you expect when the average price of a blouse is less than $9? The clothing pulls, rips easily, and much of the stock doesn’t hold up for continuous washing. It would be hard to have an entire wardrobe of Primark clothing, but it’s extremely useful in adding to the broke college student’s collection of clothing.
Need an inexpensive blazer for a last-minute interview or a fun top to wear on a night out? Then Primark is the place to shop. Buying clothing is an investment in yourself, and having a few quality and durable pieces is a necessity. Primark can help you bridge the gap between more expensive and durable pieces. For example, a warm winter coat that will endure the Boston winter paired with Primark accessories.
While Primark isn’t a lasting investment, it is a stylish option for now.