A popular fashion-forward, affordable clothing chain is setting up shop in Wilmington.
International retailer H&M will open in Mayfaire next year, Paige Somervell, the shopping center’s marketing director, confirmed Monday.
“The rumors are true,” Somervell said, referencing the buzz that began late last year about the store’s possible arrival.
The Swedish multinational company, which sells hip duds at low prices for men, women, children, teens, toddlers and infants, has more than 3,700 locations worldwide, including 10 in North Carolina’s Triangle and Piedmont regions, as well as Asheville. According to an H&M spokeswoman, the state has become a “growing market” for the chain in recent years.
The 24,000 square foot store will move into Mayfaire’s newest buildings, now under construction near the Regal movie theater. An adjacent building will house Palmetto Moon, a South Carolina-based specialty gift and apparel shop specializing in casual coastal and collegiate clothing and products.
“We’re looking forward to being able to provide an enhanced shopping and dining experience for our community,” Somervell noted.
In addition to collections for the whole family, H&M’s Wilmington site will offer separate “store within a store” sections stocked with accessories and beauty items.
“The breadth and variety of H&M collections make it easier for any consumer to find fashionable products, no matter their personal style,” an H&M spokeswoman said in a press release.
The company plans to add to the local economy – and its current staff of 16,000 nationally – by hiring Wilmington-area residents.
Last year, Great Place to Work Institute named H&M on its Top 25 Multinational Workforce list, and this year, the company was lauded for a sixth consecutive time by corporate ethics watchdog Ethisphere.
With a stated focus on sustainability, H&M created an in-store clothing recycling project in 2013 that has to date collected nearly 70 million pounds of used goods. In 2015, the federal Enviromental Protection Agency awarded the company a Green Power Leadership Award.
The Wilmington location is set to open in spring 2017, while Palmetto Moon will launch in December.
Although she could not give any names, Somervell said “exciting things are on the way,” as Mayfaire plans to announce additional shops, as well as restaurants, in the coming months.
Hilary Snow is a reporter at Port City Daily. Reach her at hilary.s@portcitydaily.com.
