If the number of store openings is indicative of a prosperous economy, then I suppose Ottawa has nothing to worry about as we go closer to the end of the year. Just this couple of weeks alone, we have seen a number of huge retail brands set up shop in the capital. October welcomed the much-anticipated opening of global giant H&M in Gatineau via the Les Promenades Mall, followed by another H&M Canada store opening at the Place D’Orleans Shopping Centre in the East End.
OTTAWA WELCOMES 3RD H&M STORE IN PLACE D’ORLEANS SHOPPING CENTRE
It was and is indeed a busy period for us and we couldn’t be more thrilled. Options are always great and both H&M stores were highly received and judging from the miles and miles long of line-ups by hardcore Fashionistas starting at an ungodly hour of 6:30 in the morning each opening day, the thrill of the find and the allure of fast fashion are nowhere near their deaths.
H&M CANADA’S PRE-OPENING VIP AND BLOGGER’S BREAKFAST EVENT
In fact, the H&M Canada Store Opening also welcomed Ottawa’s Top Fashion Bloggers like TWENTY YORK STREET, 613 Style’s Grace Oudomo, Loukia, Rania A., Arlette, Julie of Try Small Things, Rebecca, Gabriela and many more, with it’s Media and VIP Pre-Opening Breakfast Event facilitated by Montreal-based ZOI Agency via Isabelle Lorente and Ottawa-based Banfield Agency (represented by Kelly and Lindsay) as well as SKYFALL BLUE CEO Fadi Ghaby.
Is it all about the shopping? Absolutely not. Aside from the employment opportunities these new stores are providing to the region, access to fashion and lower prices has now been expanded outside the downtown core. Though this may not be a major solution to the increasingly worse traffic jam situation in Ottawa, not having to drive all the way downtown or to the opposite side of the city is certainly a time saver. Both stores serve an area in the #OUTAOUAIS that has, for a long time, been lacking of major retail stores like H&M.
These store openings (Forever 21 is also set to launch in the Les Promenades des Outaouais as well as Quebec’s major retail store Simon’s) couldn’t have been perfectly timed for the Holidays! Personally, it was hard to shop (see that gorgeous green sequined number below? That’s my TOP PICK with such glitter and a fantastic price tag of $14.99!) with so, so many fabulous things to choose from!
HOW WOULD YOU SPEND YOUR H&M $300 GIFT CARD?
And just in case you were wondering or were surprised why people would choose to actually line up for an H&M Store Opening as they would when there’s a new HOT Designer Collaboration about to be launched… there is actually an incentive in doing so! To celebrate the opening, the first 300 customers in line will receive an access to fashion pass which will reveal anywhere from a $10 – $300 gift card to be used in store that day.
Was it worth it then?
If the squeals of joy followed by loud boisterous laughter were any indication of winners, those early bird fashion lovers were certainly lucky ones as they did open gift cards that were worth $300 of H&M Shopping Spree!
Have you been to the new H&M stores in Orleans and Gatineau?
