Bigger, brighter, better: A New Chapter for Penneys Portlaoise following a €9 million Refurbishment

Customers can now enjoy a totally refreshed and modernised Penneys store experience, following a major store redevelopment project at the Laois Shopping Centre. This refurbishment is part of Penneys’ ongoing commitment to investing in Irish retail, supporting regional towns and cities across Ireland and delivering a fantastic in-store experience for its customers.

Penneys has been a key part of Portlaoise’s local economy for over 50 years; originally opened in 1971 on Lyster Square, the Portlaoise store moved to the Laois Shopping Centre two decades later in 1991. The newly refreshed Penneys store has been transformed and has more than doubled in size, expanding from 8,130 sq. ft. to 20,000 sq. ft., creating a brighter, more spacious shopping experience. The new store includes much larger ladieswear and kidswear departments, in response to growing customer demand for the retailer’s great value fashion and everyday family essentials.

The new Penneys Portlaoise store employs 75 people, with approximately 25 new jobs created to support the bigger store, providing a welcome boost to the local economy. The Portlaoise team includes many long-serving colleagues - more than 15% have worked at the store for over 20 years, including colleagues Susan Kerry, who celebrates an incredible 46 years of service with the retailer, and Christina Ryan, with 38 years' service, demonstrating that a career in retail can be a career for life.

Commenting on the relaunch, Fintan Costello, Head of Penneys Ireland and Northern Ireland said: “We’re incredibly proud to relaunch our Portlaoise store following this major €9 million refurbishment. We know our customers in the area having been waiting for this for a long time and we’re so excited to showcase our new space; the store is now more than double the size, giving customers a brighter, more spacious place to shop even more of the great value fashion and everyday family essentials they love from Penneys. It’s also fantastic to be growing our team with new roles and to celebrate the many long-serving colleagues who have helped make the store such an important part of the community for so many decades.”

The upgraded store features wider walkways, new display tables made using recycled materials and curved lightboxes, helping showcase Penneys’ latest collections while making it easier for customers to browse their favourite ranges. Penneys has also introduced 8 new self-checkout tills, giving customers a quicker and more convenient way to pay, and created a new back-of-house area for colleagues, providing improved facilities for the team who bring the store to life every day.

With its bigger space and expanded fashion offering, the refurbished store signals an exciting new chapter for Penneys in Portlaoise and a renewed shopping experience for customers in the town. This significant investment marks the latest step in Penneys’ plan to invest €250 million in new and existing stores over a 10-year period, including the development of a €75 million state-of-the-art distribution centre in Newbridge, Co. Kildare, set to open later this year.