CONSHOHOCKEN, PA, 2015-11-26 — /EPR Retail News/ — IKEA, the world’s leading home furnishings retailer, today announced contractors now are hired for building its future Memphis store. Pending remaining permits, this progress allows the project to continue on track for site work to commence, with a groundbreaking next month and a store opening in Fall 2016, increasing the Swedish retailer’s presence in the Southeastern United States. Until the store opens, customers can shop at IKEA stores in Atlanta, GA or Frisco, TX; or online at IKEA-USA.com. Also, a St. Louis store opened recently on September 30, 2015.
IKEA has chosen Linkous Construction Company to serve as Construction Manager for IKEA Memphis site work and store development project. Memphis-based Linkous has built nearly 40 million square feet of commercial, industrial and institutional projects in the past three decades. Other Memphis firms involved with this project are: real estate brokerage CBRE, site selection support; Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz as well as Burch Porter & Johnson for local land use counsel; Kimley-Horn & Associates, traffic consultant; Pangean CMD Associates, geotechnical and environmental services; and Brophy-Heineke & Associates also for environmental services. Atlanta-based GreenbergFarrow provided civil engineering services and is the project architect.
“With a contractor onboard, plans can proceed towards opening the future IKEA Memphis,” said Lars Petersson, IKEA U.S. president. “This store will provide a more convenient IKEA shopping experience for current and potential customers throughout Tennessee and the Mid-South, growing our IKEA presence in the Southeastern U.S.”
IKEA Memphis will feature nearly 10,000 exclusively designed items, 50 inspirational room-settings, three model home interiors, a supervised children’s play area, and a 350-seat restaurant serving Swedish specialties such as meatballs with lingonberries and salmon plates, as well as American dishes. Other family-friendly features include a ‘Children’s IKEA’ area in the Showroom, baby care rooms, play areas throughout the store, and preferred parking. In addition to the more than 500 jobs that are expected to be created during the construction phase, approximately 225 coworkers will join the IKEA family when the new store opens. IKEA Memphis also will provide significant annual property and sales tax revenue for local governments and schools.
Located in the Wolfchase corridor, 15 miles east of downtown Memphis, the 271,000-square-foot future IKEA store and nearly 1,000 parking spaces will be built on 35 acres along the southwestern side of Interstate-40 near the Germantown Parkway exit. Store plans reflect the same unique architectural design for which IKEA stores are known worldwide. IKEA also is evaluating potential on-site power generation to complement its current renewable energy presence at nearly 90% of its U.S. locations.
Since its 1943 founding in Sweden, IKEA has offered home furnishings of good design and function at low prices so the majority of people can afford them. There are currently more than 370 IKEA stores in 47 countries, including 41 in the U.S. IKEA has been included in rankings of “Best Companies to Work For” and, as further investment in its coworkers, has raised its own minimum wage twice in two years. IKEA incorporates sustainability into day-to-day business and supports initiatives that benefit children and the environment. For more information see IKEA-USA.com, @IKEAUSA, @IKEAUSANews, or IKEAUSA on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Pinterest.
Contact: Joseph Roth, U.S. Expansion
(610) 834-0180, x 6500
SOURCE: Inter IKEA Systems B.V.