August 18th was a huge day for the Francis Scott Key Mall. The mall buzzed with excitement as it welcomed the newest edition to the shopping mall: H&M.

H&M, short for Hennes & Mauritz, is a Swedish clothing company that has expanded into 64 countries since its initial opening in Finland in 1964.

The United States currently operates 445 locations, more than any other country. The Frederick location will be the 10th H&M store in Maryland.

The new store replaced GAP, Regis Hair Salon, Crazy 8, and Express. H&M, occupying approximately 20,000 square feet, is now the largest store in FSK Mall.

Similar to other stores in the mall, H&M rotates the display, to welcome in the new trends for the season.

H&M is an affordable destination for desirable clothes, bringing competition to other fast-fashion stores in the FSK mall, such as Charlotte Russe and Rue21.

“I can find mega deals and really stylish clothing,” said Class of 2017 student, Roan Tinney.

H&M has something different that not many retail spaces have. “The co-workers are like a little family,” said store manager Heather Frankel.“In order to be a great place to shop, it needs to be a great place to work,” said Frankel.

The team-oriented atmosphere builds tight bonds among co-workers. “The workers were helpful. I found everything I wanted,” said Tinney.

The company motto is “Fashion quality at the best possible price with sustainability.”

The store has a very streamlined and fluid way of operating that meets the demands of the public more successfully. The new store  has some big shoes and a big space to fill.

“It isn’t as crowded as most H&M stores are; it’s refreshing,” said a customer. 

For Fall 2016, the teenager’s section is paying homage to the stars; the galaxy theme features an a array of purples and blues.

Street style is making waves in the women’s section with classic silhouettes in timeless colors. Comfort is definitely a front-runner. Frankel loves the look of wearing head-to-toe one color.