Swedish fashion giant H&M has opened its doors in Belfast in a new 2,228 sq metres location at The Keep retail destination in Castle Lane.
The new store, based on the former British Home Stores (BHS) site, offers customers a fresh interior look and feel for the brand, as well as self-service checkouts.
It has relocated from its previous home at Victoria Square, though the move raises questions over the future of its large flagship unit on Royal Avenue.
Offering womenswear, menswear, kidswear and accessories, H&M says the customer experience will be driven by fashion demand, with elevated trend-driven products and styles.
The 2,228 sq metres store focuses on the omni channel, seamless customer experience offering new services including self-checkouts.
“We are delighted to be enhancing our presence in Belfast. New omni-channel services will offer customers more convenience, while an elevated interior design will enable them to shop our latest fashion collections and styles in a more curated and inspirational way,” said Klas Degeryd, head of expansion for H&M in the UK & Ireland.
Brian Kidd from letting agents Frazer Kidd, said: “It is fantastic that this once derelict building has been transformed by property company Alterity Investments into Belfast city centre’s largest retail redevelopment project since Victoria Square.
“It is especially exciting to have one of Europe’s largest fashion brands, H&M, choose The Keep for this flagship store.”
H&M, founded in 1947 as Hennes & Mauritz and which is the world’s second largest international clothing retailer, also has stores in Derry, Ballymena, Newry, Craigavon and Belfast’s Forestside.