Conshohocken, Pa. — IKEA U.S. is opening its first city center store in the U.S., marking the company’s ongoing transformation and commitment to bringing IKEA into the heart of urban areas. The ‘IKEA Planning Studio’ is scheduled to open in Manhattan in spring 2019.
Globally, IKEA is adapting and evolving to be more accessible and convenient for customers wherever they are and has recently announced the development of 30 new touchpoints in city centers over the next 3 years. The New York City location is the first market in the U.S. for the Planning Studio concept.
“We recognize that we are in a rapidly changing retail environment, and to be fit for long term growth, IKEA is transforming in a way that lets us meet our customers where they are,” says Lars Petersson, country manager, IKEA Retail U.S. “New York City is the natural choice to open the first city center store — the most vibrant, dynamic city in the U.S., and the epicenter of retail, business and culture.”
The Planning Studio concept was co-created with New Yorkers who provided input to IKEA throughout the planning process. The location will open at 999 Third Ave. in spring 2019 and will focus smart solutions for urban living and small spaces. It will give customers the opportunity to discover, select and order IKEA products for delivery to their home, which is what urban residents want and need.
The IKEA Planning Studio will complement existing stores in the New York market with stores in Brooklyn, Elizabeth, Long Island and Paramus, which will continue to be a vital part of the IKEA experience. The company will also remodel the Brooklyn store, and recently opened a new customer fulfillment center in Staten Island to deliver products to customers in the market.
Since its 1943 founding in Sweden, IKEA has offered home furnishings of good design and function at low prices. The IKEA Group operates 367 IKEA stores in 30 countries, including 48 in the United States. For more information, see www.IKEA-USA.com.
SOURCE: IKEA