CONSHOHOCKEN, PA, 2015-1-28 — /EPR Retail News/ — IKEA, the world’s leading home furnishings retailer, todayannounced it is submitting plans to the City of Columbus, Ohio for a store that would increasethe Swedish retailer’s presence in the Midwestern United States as its second store in thestate. The application marks the beginning of the governmental approval process. Until thestore opens in Summer 2017, customers can shop at the closest IKEA stores in: WestChester, OH; Pittsburgh, PA; and Canton, MI; or online at IKEA-USA.com.
Located in the Polaris Centers of Commerce development, approximately 15 milesnorth of downtown Columbus, the 354,000-square-foot proposed IKEA store and its 1,200parking spaces would be built on 33 acres at the northeastern corner of Interstate-71 andGemini Place. Store plans reflect the same unique architectural design for which IKEA storesare known worldwide. IKEA also will evaluate potential on-site power generation tocomplement its current U.S. renewable energy presence at nearly 90% of its U.S. locations.
“We look forward to continue growing our Midwestern U.S. presence with IKEAColumbus,” said IKEA U.S. CEO Rob Olson. “This location in such a vibrant retail corridorwould provide our already 155,000 Columbus customers their own store and introduce theunique IKEA shopping experience to other consumers throughout Central Ohio and beyond.”
IKEA Columbus would feature nearly 10,000 exclusively designed items, 50inspirational room-settings, three model home interiors, a supervised children’s play area,and a 450-seat restaurant serving Swedish specialties such as meatballs with lingonberriesand 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 createdduring the construction phase, approximately 300 coworkers would join the IKEA family whenthe new store opens. IKEA Columbus also would provide significant annual sales andproperty tax revenue for local governments and schools.
IKEA, drawing from its Swedish heritage and respect of nature, believes it can be agood business while doing good business and aims to minimize impacts on the environment.IKEA evaluates locations regularly for conservation opportunities, integrates innovativematerials into product design, works to maintain sustainable resources, and flat-packs goodsfor 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; andoperationally, eliminating plastic bags from the check-out process, phasing-out the sale ofincandescent light bulbs, facilitating recycling compact fluorescent bulbs, and by 2016 sellingonly LED bulbs. IKEA U.S. has electric vehicle charging stations at 13 stores, solar arraysatop 90% of its locations, and plans for 104 wind turbines.
Since its 1943 founding in Sweden, IKEA has offered home furnishings of good designand function at low prices so the majority of people can afford them. There are currentlymore than 360 IKEA stores in 47 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 annuallist 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 benefitchildren and the environment. For more information see IKEA-USA.com, @IKEAUSA,@IKEAUSANews, or IKEAUSA on Facebook, Youtube, Instagram and Pinterest.
Contact: Joseph Roth, Expansion Public Affairs
(610) 834-0180, x 6500