Penneys has opened its newly revamped store in the heart of Galway city, following a €20 million investment by the retailer.
Located in the Eyre Square Shopping Centre, the renovated store is 50% bigger with the addition of a new lower ground floor.
The revamp is part of the retailer’s commitment to invest €250 million in Ireland over the next ten years.
The store is now 45,000 sq. ft across two floors and features a brand-new ‘Nails @ Penneys’ beauty salon.
To support the expansion and with the busy Christmas season coming, Penneys has created 180 new jobs, with 50 permanent and 130 temporary roles.
The store will now employ a total of 355 people. As part of Penneys’ focus on developing its own people and creating internal opportunities for growth, 14 new department managers have also been promoted internally from the existing store team.
Head of Penneys, Damien O’Neill, said they are delighted to complete this major extension and renovation of the Eyre Square store, just in time for the busy Christmas season ahead.
“We are committed to providing the best in-store experience to our customers, so this refreshed store with a new lower ground floor space allows us to showcase an expanded product range, offering even more great-value fashion and essentials to people in Galway, including a new beauty salon,” said Damien.
“We are proud to continue to play our part in supporting Irish towns and communities and to investing in Irish retail.”
Mayor of Galway, Cllr Clodagh Higgins, has today welcomed Penney’s expansion: “Penneys has expanded its premises and in doing so they have created 180 new jobs, which is a huge investment for Galway.
“It demonstrates the strength and continued growth of Penneys with this €20 million investment and it’s a testament to their place in the Irish market.
“Furthermore, it highlights the attractiveness of Galway for investment from important home-grown international retailers.”