Despite the fact that I think several Austinites might not consider the Domain to actually be a part of Austin (“it’s in Round Rock, right?”), H&M finally opened in Austin this weekend. I made several trips to the shopping center up north over the past couple of days and now that I live downtown, the drive really felt like one where I needed to make sure I had a bottle of water and maybe a snack for the car ride. However, for H&M, the trip might be worth it. Where else can you find such inexpensive clothing that’s not only on trend but of decent quality?
Apparently many others thought the opening of H&M was not only worth a trip to the Domain, but was also worth camping out on the sidewalks for (in some cases) overnight. The lure of their recent collaboration with designer Margiela as well as the promise of a gift card ranging from anywhere between $10-$500 were the big perks for the fashionable students and (mostly) teens of Austin. High school student Ondrea Bluestone was the first to arrive at 4pm on Friday, staying in line for just over 20 hours to take her chances at scoring a good gift card. A sleep deprived Kaidon Ho was amongst several UT students and UFG members who also arrived early…
If you’re wondering how the Austin H&M compares to other H&M stores you might have been to, it definitely holds up to expectations. I’ve been to several stores in New York, the city where you can find an H&M on practically every other street corner, and the Austin store is just as big boasting 2 stories of clothing and accessories for women, men, kids, and even has a maternity section. It’s a good addition to the Domain and I think it is especially a good addition to the Austin fashion options for men who can’t afford to shop at high priced boutiques all the time. The store was hopping all weekend long with first an exclusive party on Friday night, followed by the official grand opening on Saturday at noon. The store was packed even still on Sunday afternoon with intrigued shoppers checking out the newest and biggest addition to Austin retail.
Joanna Wilkinson
keep austin stylish