Irish clothing store Primark to move into former Green Acres J.C. Penney location

Primark is making Green Acres Mall part of the Irish clothing store chain’s push into the United States, with plans to open a new location there sometime between September, 2022 and September, 2023.

The 35,100-square-foot Green Acres location will occupy two floors and take over part of the retail unit formerly occupied by J.C. Penney, according to Kelvia Payero Brito, a spokeswoman for the mall. J.C. Penney, which was originally slated to close in April, 2020 after more than 62 years in business, was finally liquidated by the summer of 2020 after delays due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Green Acres Primark will be in addition 11 other locations across the United States since its entrance into the American market in 2015, according to the company. It is scheduled to open alongside 35,900-square-foot location at Gertz Plaza in Queens. The store offers women’s, men’s and children’s ware as well as homeware, accessories and beauty products.

“We are delighted to announce that Primark has secured two further New York locations as part of our continued expansion in the United States,” Andy Stewart, retail president for Primark US said in a statement. “These new stores will mark another important milestone in bringing Primark’s unique formula of Amazing Fashion at Amazing Prices to more US customers, while also creating local job opportunities in Queens and Long Island.”

The lease agreement with Green Acres Mall was approved by the Town of Hempstead Industrial Development Agency on Feb. 25. Because Green Acres operates under a payment-in-lieu-of taxes agreement granted through the IDA, the agency must approve all lessees at the mall, according to the agreement’s contract.

According to the application to the IDA from Macerich, the California-based firm which operates Green Acres, the new Primark location would employ 150 people full time with a roughly $5 million payroll. The lease was approved unanimously.