It is hard to imagine any other retail store generating quite the same buzz of excitement as that surrounding the reopening of the Belfast city centre Primark yesterday, but the unveiling of the restored building is significant on a number of levels.
Four years have now passed since the landmark Bank Buildings was devastated by a blaze which burned for three days, leaving just a blackened shell.
In the immediate aftermath, there was a debate over whether what was left of the building should be razed to the ground and replaced by a completely new store, or fully restored in a lengthy and painstaking process.
While some supported demolishing the unsafe structure and reducing the already detrimental impact on surrounding businesses, the fact that the owners decided to bring the historic building back to its former glory should be viewed in positive terms.
This major construction project has cost in the region of £100 million and was epic in its scale. The River Farset, which runs 60 metres under the building, was re-routed while 350 concrete piles were drilled 35 metres deep to secure it during renovation works.
The towers of shipping containers full of sand which protected the public from falling masonry have now been removed and we can now see the restored facade which involved stone masons from across Britain and Ireland.
Such was the attention to detail that stone and marble was sourced from the same quarries in Finland, Scotland and Portugal that were used in the original 18th century structure.
The renovated building is a testament to the skills and commitment of all those involved, who should be rightly proud of their work.
Now it has reopened, many will be hoping that the flagship store will help to revitalise Belfast city centre, which has suffered a visible decline recent years.
It would be too much to expect that one store can turn around the fortunes of the entire area, with all its problems, but there are reasons to hope that the additional footfall will benefit other traders, particularly in the crucial Christmas shopping period.
There is obviously more to be done to make the city centre a welcoming and attractive space for shopping and leisure.
But the restoration of the Bank Buildings will ensure that Belfast's rich built heritage, which makes this place unique, will be preserved for generations to come.
