New H&M opens at Lombard's Yorktown Center

An international retailer has opened at The Shops on Butterfield at Lombard's Yorktown Center.

More than 150 people lined up in front of the H&M clothing store Thursday morning at 370 Yorktown Center to celebrate the grand opening and receive giveaways and discounts.

Women, men and children's clothing is sold at the store, which, according to the company's website, offers "fashion and quality at the best price."

Courtnei Stephens of Broadview said she heard about the grand opening a few days ago. She and her friend, Mia Herrod, also of Broadview, got in line around 9:30 a.m.

"We're dedicated," she said, adding that H&M is one of their "top 10 stores."

During a more than three-hour wait, the 17-year-olds and others in line received scratch-off gift cards with values varying from $5 to $100.

Stephens received $75, which she said she would be sharing with Herrod, who only received $10.

At noon, a red ribbon was cut and customers clapped and cheered as they flooded into the store to browse the deals.

William Heniff, the village's director of community development, said at 22,000 square feet, the Lombard H&M is one of the largest storefronts at Yorktown, aside from anchor stores.

"They have high name recognition and prestige in the retail industry, and for them to make a corporate decision ... that this is one of the locations they want to be at, it just really bodes well," he said. "We've always said we've seen (the addition of major corporate retailers) as a very positive attribution, to show the strength and viability of Yorktown and the village."

The space, Heniff said, has been vacant for about two or three years, since the closing of an Adobo Grill that once occupied it.

There are more than 320 H&M stores in the U.S., including suburban locations in Aurora, Geneva, Oak Brook and Schaumburg.