Ikea continues to fill in key U.S. markets
Clint Engel -- Furniture Today, August 1, 2005
Plymouth Meeting, Pa. — With the recent opening of its first Atlanta store and another coming in metro Dallas next month, Ikea is running a little shy of its plans to open five U.S. stores a year.
Still, the Sweden-based specialty home furnishings retailer continues to cast its net widely as it seeks to grow.
"We are evaluating all major metro areas," said Joseph Roth, director of expansion public affairs for Ikea North America.
He said that if you took the top 35 U.S. media markets, then crossed off those where Ikea already has stores or where a store is coming, you're left with the new markets it's considering.
That includes Austin, Texas, Charlotte, N.C., all three major Ohio markets (Cleveland, Cincinnati and Columbus), Denver, St. Louis and Portland, Ore.
In its fiscal year ended Aug. 31, 2004, the Top 100 company opened three stores for a total of 21 U.S. stores doing an estimated $1.075 billion in furniture, bedding and accessories.
This fiscal year, Ikea will have opened four stores with the metro Dallas launch, in Frisco. Next fiscal year, it has four in the works: its second Chicago-area store in Bolingbrook, Ill., its first Boston-area store in Stoughton, Mass., and units in West Sacramento, Calif., and Canton, Mich.
After that, the retailer plans a Dublin, Calif., store in fall 2006. And it recently acquired property for a unit in Brooklyn, N.Y., where an opening date hasn't been set.
Ross said Ikea continues to evaluate Florida. Last year, it looked for property near Fort Lauderdale, but ended up passing on a site.
Ikea continues to fill in key U.S. markets
08/01/2005Ikea plans Denver store
09/14/2008Ikea plans 3rd Texas unit
08/28/2005
