H&M opens first area store at Coastal Grand mall in Myrtle Beach

H&M will open its first area store Thursday amid a year of changes for Coastal Grand mall.

The new 20,175 square foot store offers shoppers an array of clothing collections for ladies, men, young ladies and young men as well as separate “store within a store” sections for accessories, lingerie, maternity, sports apparel and a plus-size line. The Myrtle Beach location will also carry H&M’s children’s collection, from newborn to 14 years.

The national retailer opens at noon Thursday, and the first 200 shoppers in line will be given an H&M T-shirt and an Access to Fashion Pass, valued from $10 to $200, according to a news release. The opening will also feature a live DJ.

“It’s such a nice mall and it’s a perfect spot,” said Patrick Shaner, U.S. expansion specialist with H&M. “There’s something here for everybody.

Many shoppers have been antsy for the arrival of H&M, according to Steve McGhee, Coastal Grand’s general manager. He said the mall was happy to accommodate a popular tenant – especially because it’s the only H&M in the area.

“Based on the comments, it’s a great fit for us here and I think it’s a great fit for them, too,” McGhee said.

Shaner said about 30 local employees were hired for the store, which is the third location in South Carolina but the first in Horry County.

“H&M will wait until it’s the right location with the right customer base before building a new store,” Shaner said.

H&M is just one of many changes at Coastal Grand mall this year.

Rue 21, an apparel and accessory retailer targeting young consumers, Fun Wear sports apparel and five other new stores opened in June.

Another dozen tenants have remodeled their spaces or are amid the renovation work, and several had to move to new locations in the mall to make room for H&M. The mall requires that tenants remodel after 10 years, which has led to the flurry of renovations.

Several stores, however, have left the mall in the last year; some didn’t renew their leases and other chain retailers filed for bankruptcy or struggled nationally. Among the stores that have left: Hallmark, Kirkland’s, New York & Company, Cache, Wet Seal, Delia’s. The food court lost Chef Smitty’s and Abuelo’s (the restaurant outside the mall remains open).

McGhee said most of the relocations and renovations are complete. About 15 tenants relocated in the mall – including Justice and Mrs. Fields cookie shop – and others revamped their interior, such as Hollister and Zales.

“It’s going to be a refreshing look, especially the electronic menu boards in the food court,” McGhee said.

The changes are the most significant for the 1.3-million-square-foot mall in Myrtle Beach since it opened in March 2004 and brought new retailers to the market including Bed, Bath and Beyond, Dillard’s and Abercrombie & Fitch, among others.

This story was originally published August 26, 2015 at 5:43 PM with the headline "H&M opens first area store at Coastal Grand mall in Myrtle Beach."