A huge amount of people queued outside Penneys stores across the nation this morning, as they reopened for the first time in six weeks.
In pictures and videos shared on social media, people can be seen queuing down the street as some stores opened before 7am this morning.
According to RTÉ reporter Will Goodbody, people were queuing outside Penneys on Dublin’s Mary Street since 4.30am – in the hopes of nabbing some Christmas pyjamas.
The first shoppers passing through the reopened doors at Penneys on Mary St in Dublin at 6:42 this morning. Some said they’d been queuing since 4:30am. The number one item on their lists – pyjamas. @rtenews pic.twitter.com/BcJWFc2uMB
— Will Goodbody (@willgoodbody) December 1, 2020
RTÉ’s Evelyn O’Rourke also posted a photo of the lengthy queue outside Penneys in Blanchardstown Shopping Centre.
She wrote: “Anyone need Christmas PJ’s?? #penneys @blanchardstowncentre opened 6.45am this morning for very excited customers.. report coming up @TodaywithClaire.”
“Pic taken 6.45am! Met one lady who was at her gym at 5.45am then at Penney’s by 7.05am … now for you!”
Penneys in Blanchardstown Shopping Centre is one of two stores in Dublin that will stay open for 24 hours from 7am this morning, trading until closing time on December 2nd.
Anyone need Christmas PJ’s?? #penneys @blanchardstowncentre opened 6.45am this morning for very excited customers.. report coming up @TodaywithClaire 🎄 pic taken 6.45am! Met one lady who was at her gym at 5.45am then at Penney’s by 7.05am … now for you! 😉 pic.twitter.com/rYxkI1yHUa
— Evelyn O’Rourke (@evelyn_orourke) December 1, 2020
Dundrum Town Centre will also stay open from 7am this morning until closing time on Wednesday.
There were similar sights in other parts of the country this morning, as Limerick Leader reporter Nick Rabbitts shared a video of the long queue outside Penneys in Limerick.
He wrote: “I didn’t think I’d be doing this again in 2020… But it’s 6:45am on Tuesday, December 1 – and just look at the queue in #Limerick as Penneys re-opens after #Covid19 lockdown 2.”
📺 I didn’t think I’d be doing this again in 2020… But it’s 6:45am on Tuesday, December 1 – and just look at the queue in #Limerick as Penneys re-opens after #Covid19 lockdown 2. ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/PTVwFyjIGw
— Nick Rabbitts (@Nick468official) December 1, 2020
Penneys announced their plans to reopen over the weekend, and confirmed extended opening hours for all stores, including 24-hour trading in two stores based in Dublin.
All Penneys stores located in city centres and in major shopping centres will trade until 10pm on weekdays, and stores on main streets in towns across Ireland and in town shopping centres will trade until 9pm on weekdays.
Penneys also reassured shoppers that all stores will continue to have extensive safety measures in place.
This includes strict social distancing protocols, limits on the number of customers allowed in store, hand sanitisation stations on entry, Perspex screens or cubicles at tills, the use of face masks in-store and increased in-store cleaning.
Penneys CEO, Paul Marchant, said: “We are delighted to re-open our stores in Ireland on 1 December with longer shopping hours to give our customers more time to safely do their festive shopping.”
“We have everything this season that our customers expect from Penneys, including our famous Christmas jumpers, festive pyjamas and much, much more.
“All of our extensive safety measures remain in place to help ensure shopping at Penneys is an enjoyable, safe experience for everyone.”
