“IT’S KIND OF like Dealz, but on a bigger spectrum. It’s been popping off on Instagram.”

This is what Erin had to say about why she decided to join the 100m long queue for Normal – the newest store on Dublin’s Henry Street.

The Scandi discount store attracted huge queues for its opening day yesterday, but at 4pm today – in four degree weather – the line still stretched the length of the Ilac Centre and security workers controlled how many people could enter.

Housed in River Island’s former store, the shop sells everything from Japanese skincare and protein crisps to home cleaning products.

Some of the products on sale included Gillette shaving foam for €2, Garnier micellar water for €4.90, tongue scrapers for €3.30 and Aussie shampoo for around €8.

The queue for Henry Street’s new Scandi discount store Normal stretched the length of the Ilac Centre today. pic.twitter.com/v6TZKjvYKF

— Sophie Finn (@SophieFinn25) November 20, 2025

Founded in Denmark in 2013, the store has become extremely popular and now has 900 branches in ten European countries.

Ahead of the Irish opening the brand shared videos on Instagram giving away free goodies and advertised its Ryanair-like bag reverse bag check system where if your shopping bag is too big after visiting Normal you get a free gift.

Influencer James Patrice was also promoting the store on social media.

Speaking to The Journal, Erin said there was nothing in particular she was looking for but she wanted to have a look around as it’s “something new” on the Irish shopping scene.

Simona, who was also waiting to get into the store, said she had heard about it on Instagram and was particularly excited to look at the cosmetic products.

She was also hoping to get her hands on some mochi, something she said is usually hard to find in Dublin.

Some of the products on sale in a Paris branch of the store. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

“I wasn’t expecting there would be a queue anymore, to be honest, because I know they opened yesterday,” she said.

Solrun, who’s visiting Dublin from Iceland, said she usually goes to Normal when she’s in a country that has the store and she needs toiletries – but she also wasn’t expecting the queue.

“We didn’t know there was a queue. I’m from the Nordic countries so I know the store, it’s very popular,” she said.

She said she likes the store because it offers toiletries in large sizes and at good prices.

Minister of State for Small Business and Retail, Alan Dillon TD, joined Jakob Frølich Maarbjerg, CEO of Normal, to celebrate the opening of the store yesterday.

Maarbjerg seems confident the popularity of Normal will continue as he’s already planned to open a second store here in 2026.