Dundrum Town Centre is about to get a serious refresh, with a string of new arrivals and store reopenings set to roll out over the coming months. Shoppers who regularly make the trip to Dublin’s busiest retail destination will notice some familiar faces returning in upgraded form, alongside some fresh additions to the mix.
Zara is among the biggest names getting a revamp. The Spanish fashion giant has long been one of Dundrum’s anchor stores, and the updated version is expected to bring a larger, more modern shopping experience in line with the brand’s recent overhauls at other major European locations. For anyone who has visited a newly redesigned Zara abroad, you’ll know the difference is pretty significant.
Bershka, another Inditex-owned brand and a favourite among younger shoppers, is also on the list for an upgrade. The brand has been working to modernise its store formats across Europe, and Dundrum will be part of that push. It sits alongside Zara in the Inditex family, which also includes Pull and Bear and Massimo Dutti, so the group clearly sees Dundrum as a priority location worth investing in.
Tommy Hilfiger is another name confirmed to be upgrading its presence at the centre. The American preppy fashion label has maintained a solid following in Ireland, and a refreshed store will likely aim to push further into the premium end of the market as the brand continues to position itself alongside higher-end competitors.
Dundrum has been on something of a transformation journey over the past few years. The centre, which opened back in 2005 and changed the shape of retail in Ireland almost overnight, has had to work hard to stay relevant as shopping habits shifted. The rise of online retail hit big shopping centres hard across the board, and Dundrum was no exception. But the strategy in recent times has leaned heavily into experience and premium offerings, trying to give people a reason to actually show up in person.
That approach seems to be paying off. Footfall has been recovering steadily, and the new wave of store upgrades suggests brands are confident enough in the location to put serious money into their fit-outs. Retailers do not splash out on major refurbishments unless they believe the return is going to be there.
The timing also lines up with broader trends in Irish retail. Consumer spending has held up reasonably well despite the cost of living pressures of the past couple of years, and Dublin in particular continues to attract retail investment that other cities across Europe would be glad to have. The capital’s relatively young population and strong tourism numbers make it an attractive bet for international brands.
For Dundrum itself, the arrivals and reopenings are part of a wider effort to keep the tenant mix fresh and competitive. Losing a big name or having a dated-looking store sit in a prime unit is not a good look for any shopping centre, so proactively working with brands on upgrades is a smart move from the management side.
There is no single confirmed date for all the openings, and these things have a habit of shifting slightly, but the bulk of the activity is expected to take place across 2024. Shoppers will likely see construction hoardings going up and coming down at various points throughout the year as the work gets done.
For regular visitors to Dundrum, it is worth keeping an eye on which units are being worked on. The centre tends to keep things fairly well signposted during refurbishments, and most of the brands involved will make noise about their reopenings when the time comes. A newly designed Zara alone is likely to draw serious crowds on opening day going by how similar launches have gone elsewhere.