It was the biggest shopping frenzy Irvine had seen in years — Primark had finally come to town.
The budget fashion retailer opened in the Rivergate Shopping Centre 15 years ago this week.
And as our pictures from the time show, it was an event that was eagerly anticipated by shoppers.
An expectant crowd gathered outside the store — formerly Littlewoods — as a piper lead the grand opening.
And when retail director Ben Mansfield cut the ribbon, it was every man and woman for themselves in the hunt to grab the best bargains.
The March 14 opening was two years in the making. In 2005, 120 Littlewoods stores were sold to Primark in a £400m deal. Delays in the building plans meant work was put back.
The Irvine store famously hit the headlines in 2011 when it was unveiled as an unlikely tourist attraction — for Latvians.
Harbourside hotelier Andy Tremble revealed how he was enjoying a boost in trade thanks to travellers from the Eastern block with one thing on their mind — a trip to Primark.
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