International fashion retailer Primark said it would open a second store in Romania next month, in the AFI Cotroceni shopping mall in Bucharest. The opening, scheduled for June 20, comes six months after the brand entered the local market.

Primark AFI Cotroceni will span 3,200 square meters on the first floor of the shopping center. It will create over 250 jobs for the local economy in Bucharest, with several part-time and full-time retail positions still open, including retail assistant and managerial roles, the company said.

Primark appointed Cătălina Gnevnoi as the manager of its AFI Cotroceni store. She has extensive experience in fashion retail and will coordinate the overall store logistics and retail assistant teams.

Maciej Podwojski, head of Primark CEE, said: “We are delighted to add a new Primark store to Bucharest’s fashion map. This is a highly anticipated opening following the fantastic response we have had from customers to our first opening six months ago.”

Primark said Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) is an important area for its expansion strategy. It currently has one store in Romania and Slovenia, two in the Czech Republic and four in Poland, with plans to open two further stores in Poland this year.

The retailer’s expansion plans will also see its first store launching in Slovakia on May 25 and in Hungary next year, bringing the total CEE footprint to 13 stores across six markets.

Founded in Ireland in 1969 under the Penneys brand, Primark currently has more than 70,000 employees across 15 countries in Europe and the US. Its growth strategy targets 530 stores by the end of 2026.

irina.marica@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Primark)