No more will the phrase 'This? 3 quid, Penneys' be an Irish only statement, as the owner's of Penneys, or Primark as it's known to the rest of the continent (and soon the world), announced today that they're expanding across the pond and opening a store in the US.

After 'extensive research', the company have signed on the dotted line for 70,000 sq ft of retail space in the heart of Boston, paving the way for Primark to make its first steps into the American market in late 2015, going head to head with big tradition US brands as well as other European retailers. Primark hope to follow the example set by fellow European brands Topshop and Ted Baker by inching slowly into the market and taking their domination attempt slowly.

'We'll open some stores, we'll start to learn, we'll see what sort of reception we get and we'll take it from there' AB Foods' chief executive George Weston told press. 'We're not assuming that we'll succeed in the US but we do have a powerful proposition in terms of fashionability at very low prices.'

Negotiations are also said to be underway to open further stores in the north east of America into mid-2016, so it's clear that they're not kidding around.

Primark/Penneys is currently one of the largest clothing retailers in Europe, headquartered in our own backyard on Mary St., Dublin where it was founded in 1969 and now trades from 271 stores, 9.7 million sq ft, and employs 51,200 people in the Republic of Ireland, UK, Spain, Portugal, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria and France.

If we were a Walmart or Target, we'd be shaking in our boots. 'THREE DOLLARS IN PRIMARK!' is going to be flying out of Americans mouths faster than hot dogs and beer go into them.

Via ABF/RTÉ/The Guardian