CONSHOHOCKEN, PA, 2014-12-17 — /EPR Retail News/ — IKEA, the world’s leading home furnishings retailer, today proposed plans for a possible store in the City of Memphis and Shelby County, Tennessee that could increase the Swedish retailer’s presence in the Southeastern United States as its first store in the state. The potential store could open as early as Fall 2016 and is contingent upon receiving all governmental approvals. Memphis-area customers currently can shop at the closest IKEA stores in: Atlanta, GA and Frisco, TX; or online at IKEA-USA.com. Also, a St. Louis IKEA store is under construction and expected to open next Fall, 2015.
Proposed for a location in the Wolfchase corridor, 15 miles east of downtown Memphis, the 269,000-square-foot possible IKEA store and more than 1,000 parking spaces could be built on 35 acres along the southwestern side of Interstate-40 near Germantown Parkway exit. Potential store plans would reflect the same unique architectural design for which IKEA stores are known worldwide. IKEA also would evaluate potential on-site power generation to complement its current renewable energy presence at nearly 90% of its U.S. locations.
“We are excited at the possibility of growing our southeastern U.S. presence with a potential Memphis store,” said IKEA U.S. CFO Rob Olson. “This proposed location in such a vibrant retail corridor could provide our already 37,000 Memphis-area customers their own store and introduce the unique IKEA shopping experience to other consumers throughout western Tennessee, northeastern Arkansas, Northwestern Mississippi, and beyond.”
The proposed IKEA Memphis would feature nearly 10,000 exclusively designed items, 50 inspirational room-settings, three model home interiors, a supervised children’s play area, and a 300-seat restaurant serving Swedish specialties such as meatballs with lingonberries and salmon plates, as well as American dishes. Other family-friendly features would 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 could be created duringthe construction phase, approximately 225 co-workers could join the IKEA family as a result of opening the potential store. An IKEA Memphis store also could provide significant annual sales tax revenue for local governments and schools.
IKEA, drawing from its Swedish heritage and respect of nature, believes it can be a good business while doing good business and aims to minimize impacts on the environment. IKEA evaluates locations regularly for conservation opportunities, integrates innovative materials into product design, works to maintain sustainable resources, and flat-packs goods for efficient distribution. U.S. sustainable efforts include: recycling waste material; incorporating key measures into buildings with energy-efficient HVAC and lighting systems, recycled construction materials, warehouse skylights, and water-conserving restrooms; and operationally, eliminating plastic bags from the check-out process, phasing-out the sale of incandescent light bulbs, facilitating recycling compact fluorescent bulbs, and by 2016 selling only LED bulbs. IKEA U.S. has solar arrays atop 90% of its locations, has announced plans to purchase 49 wind turbines in Illinois, and has rolled-out EV charging stations at 13 stores.
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 360 IKEA stores in 46 countries, including 40 in the U.S. IKEA has been ranked in FORTUNE’s annual “100 Best Companies to Work For” list, Working Mother magazine’s annual list of “100 Best Companies for Working Mothers” and Training magazine’s annual “Top 100.” 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.
###