As soon as I heard the news that a Primark was opening less than 40 minutes from Niagara Falls, I started planning a cross-border shopping spree.
I used to love visiting this low-price fashion retailer when I lived in London, England, as a teenager and later when I flew to various European cities as a flight attendant. I was eager to see what the new American store had to offer.
Primark officially opened at Walden Galleria on April 20, but I was able to get a sneak peek a day earlier. Here's what I thought of the new location and why I'd gladly cross the border to shop there again.
Exterior of the store.Madeline Forsyth | Narcity
The Shopping Experience
At 34,000 square feet, this isn't the biggest Primark location but it sure does hold a lot of products. The store is divided into several sections, including mens, womens, kids, accessories, shoes and lingerie.
I was amazed by just how much there was to browse in the store but, at the same time, it didn't feel overwhelming. Everything was neatly organized and easy to look at.
Womens section of Primark.Madeline Forsyth | Narcity
It's been a few years since I last set foot in a Primark and I wondered if now, in my late 20s, I would find the fashion too young. I was surprised — and relieved — to see that many of the items suited my style.
There are a lot of basics like plain t-shirts and jeans as well as some more mature items like blazers and pants. I was delighted to see that, like the UK stores, this Primark even carried some Harry Potter merchandise.
Harry Potter merchandise.Madeline Forsyth | Narcity
There were tons of change rooms with their own individual mirrors (yes!!) and lots of hooks to store your clothes on. Another bonus was the large bags available to store your items in as you shop.
The Prices
Primark's prices are arguably its biggest draw. I wondered how the US prices would compare to the European stores, especially when converted to Canadian dollars.
It turns out, it's still a great deal for Canadians to shop here. After converting some of the (before tax) prices I saw into Canadian dollars, I found that you can get $4.06 tank tops, $14.89 hoodies, and $18.95 shorts.
Madeline in a pink outfit.Madeline Forsyth | Narcity
I decided to try on a few items to see just how much an outfit would cost in Canadian dollars. The first one was a cute pink blazer with matching shorts and pink heels. The blazer was $35.19 CAD, the shorts $21.66, and the heels $29.78, bringing the grand total of the Barbie-core-fit to $86.63 (before tax). Not bad for a whole outfit!
Madeline in a black dress.Madeline Forsyth | Narcity
Next, I tried a black dress and beige heels which came to a total cost of $36.55 CAD and a trendy pajama set for $43.32 CAD.
Madeline in pajamas.Madeline Forsyth | Narcity
Lastly, I put on a matching pants and shirt set with a floppy hat and heels. The whole thing cost $83.92 CAD, and while I feel I went a bit overboard on the beige, it did make for a comfy summer outfit.
Madeline in a beige outfit.Madeline Forsyth | Narcity
Final Thoughts
So, was it worth it to cross the border for this iconic European retailer? My take — yes! The prices were still so affordable, even when converted to Canadian dollars. I got several outfits for under $100 and I feel like I'll get a lot of wear out of them.
As the saying goes, "you get what you pay for," so I didn't expect super high-quality items at this price point. However, the clothing was still of decent quality considering the price. I was even surprised to find that everything I tried on fit me like a glove, which is rare for me.
The clothing was really comfortable and while some of the material was a bit thin, that can easily be solved by wearing a slip or light-coloured underwear underneath.
Accessories at Primark.Madeline Forsyth | Narcity
So, if you're in the Niagara area and are planning a shopping spree, you can always take a little road trip to Buffalo and check out the new Primark. Fingers crossed we get one in Canada soon!
Dressing rooms at Reformation.
