Earlier this year, when Forever 21 opened up in the Valley Mall in Harrisonburg, we reported that H&M had plans to open up a store in the mall early next year, potentially taking up four storefronts with a 21,000-square foot store.

Now, H&M has confirmed those plans with an official announcement of a new location in Harrisonburg.

The store will measure approximately 22,000 square feet, and is set to open in the spring of 2017. The company says it is "thrilled" to add this new location to the "premier shopping destination, Valley Mall," joining the 13 other H&M locations currently in Virginia.

---WHAT IS H&M?---

H&M labels themselves as "one of the world’s largest fashion retailers famous for offering fashion-forward apparel at affordable prices in a sustainable way."

The store opened its doors to the first U.S. store on New York's Fifth Avenue 16 years ago, and since then, the U.S. has been one of the retailer’s most successful markets. H&M is proud to "offer U.S. consumers quality fashion at competitive prices at its 433 locations across the country, and looks forward to continued expansion at the best properties worldwide."

---WHAT WILL H&M BRING TO HARRISONBURG?---

According to H&M, "the new H&M location will offer Harrisonburg residents a one-stop shopping destination for quality clothing for the whole family, with collections for ladies and men, as well as separate “store within a store” sections for accessories. The Valley Mall location will also carry the H&M Kids collection for newborns to 14-year-olds."

The store continues: "The breadth and variety of H&M collections make it easier for any consumer to find fashionable products, no matter their personal style. With an emphasis on design, quality, and sustainability, H&M offers inspiring, high fashion at an unbeatable value."

---JOB OPPORTUNITIES AND LOCAL ECONOMY---

H&M says it prides itself on its support of local economies by adding jobs with each new location. As a continuously expanding brand, H&M constantly searches for new talent to grow within the company.

With the opening of the Valley Mall location, H&M is proud to add employees to the current, ever-expanding total of approximately 16,000 U.S. employees. The brand continues to grow in both new and existing markets while remaining focused on quality, high profitability, and sustainability.

In 2015, H&M was ranked number 21 on Interbrand’s list of 100 Best Global Brands and was selected by Great Place to Work as a top 25 Best Multinational Workplace. In 2016, H&M was also named by Ethisphere as one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies for the sixth year.

To find available job opportunities at the store, including positions already hiring for the coming Harrisonburg location, you can visit the link in the 'Related Links' section of his article.

---THE COMPANY'S COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABILITY---

H&M provided the following statement, emphasizing the store's goals related to sustainability:

"Sustainability is an integral part of H&M. The brand is growing and making significant long-term investments for sustainable development. In 2013, H&M launched Garment Collecting, an in-store clothing recycling project and was the first global fashion company to implement such a program. Since 2013, approximately 76.6 million lbs. of garments have been collected globally. H&M was also selected in 2015 as a U.S. EPA Green Power Leadership Award winner. The company has committed to sourcing renewable energy wherever possible in order to reduce indirect emissions stemming from the company's purchased electricity use."

---GROWTH OF THE VALLEY MALL---

In June, the Valley Mall in Harrisonburg opened up a brand-new clothing store aimed at younger people: Forever 21.

Once H&M opens its doors in the coming spring, there will be only one store location left unfilled in the mall.