H&M New Zealand plans first Wellington store

By

Benjamin Fitzgerald

Published
Jul 11, 2017

H&M is planning its first Wellington store with a new opening in Queensgate Shopping Centre, Lower Hutt, later this year.

The new store will hit ​Queensgate Shopping Centre, which was closed in late 2016 after earthquake damage affected the building’s infrastructure. The centre re-opened early April of this year.

The Swedish fast-fashion retailer first entered New Zealand in 2016 when it opened its first store in Sylvia Park shopping centre, in Auckland. More than 1,000 shoppers were waiting outside the doors before it opened.

While exact details on the new New Zealand haven't been leaked, it is believed to be similar in offering to the 2,300 square metre store which spans two levels, in Auckland. It houses a selection of fashion and accessories for men, women, youth and kids.

The New Zealand capital city is proving a popular destination for international retailers, with majors vying for the best locations.

Zara and H&M representatives were understood to have been looking for sites in Wellington since the arrival of Australian department store David Jones last year, according to local media reports.

But with little large vacant spaces in central Wellington, some incoming retailers were being forced to look in the wider Wellington region.

H&M Wellington will be the second New Zealand store with rumours swirling about a possible Christchurch store for 2017. Globally, H&M has more than 4100 stores.