The first H&M store in Seattle is worth the hype -- and a visit

It's fantastic. The new H&M store at Westfield Southcenter, the first store the Swedish retailer has opened in the Seattle area, is well worth the wait -- and the hype.

I attended a media preview of the new store, which opens to the public Friday, July 25 at 10 a.m., late Thursday afternoon. Among a cadre of polite employees scrambling to polish the store before its much anticipated opening, members of the media were allowed to wander the spacious store and shop to their heart's content.

We were offered a 20 percent discount on our purchases, but we certainly didn't need it -- H&M's affordable prices border on the unbelievable. When was the last time you bought a chic flirty dress for less than $30?

A trip to H&M affords shoppers the kind of purchasing abandon they probably haven't experienced in decades -- or at least since the economy began its steady trip south. I was reminded of shopping when I was 16 years old, when I had no bills to pay and could spend my entire movie-theater paycheck on my wardrobe.

My brief spree netted four items -- a fitted, red-and-white pinstriped blouse ($24.90); a trendy black lined vest ($24.90); a black rayon halter ($14.90); and a loose cotton black-and-white-patterned tank ($9.90) -- for which I paid a total of $65.05. 

The store is sleek and modern, well stocked but not too packed. Of course, it had not yet opened when I visited, and it will probably take a small army to keep it organized once the frenzied masses start hunting for bargains.

The first floor is home to H&M's own Divided collection, which caters to a young, hip, street-savvy clientele. Upstairs, you'll find apparel and accessories for men, women and children. The current inventory is a mix of summer and fall fashion, with more fall pieces arriving in the next few weeks.

I left H&M with a smile on my face, money in my wallet and the certainty that this was just the first of many visits -- especially with two more H&M stores opening downtown and in University Village this fall.

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