With company representatives, local government officials and community leaders on-hand, IKEA, the world's leading home furnishings retailer, officially broke ground for its future store in West Chester, OH, just north of Cincinnati.
Until IKEA West Chester opens in Spring 2008, customers can shop at midwestern IKEA stores in Bloomington, MN; Canton, MI (which opened last June 2006); Pittsburgh, PA; and two Chicago-area stores in Bolingbrook and Schaumburg, IL.
The 339,000-square-foot future IKEA West Chester and its 1,400 parking spaces will be built on 28 acres as part of a 56-acre parcel along I-75 at the southeastern corner of Allen and Muhlhauser roads, south of the Union Centre Boulevard exit.
IKEA West Chester will reflect the same unique architectural design for which IKEA stores are known worldwide. IKEA also will be selling three acres that will be available for complementary retail and restaurant uses.
IKEA West Chester will present nearly 10,000 exclusively designed items, three model homes, 50 room settings, a supervised children's play area, a 300-seat restaurant serving Swedish specialties such as meatballs with lingonberries and salmon plates, as well as American dishes.
Other family-friendly features will include a 'Children's IKEA' area in the showroom, baby care rooms, preferred parking and play areas throughout the store.
“Now that construction is underway, it is exciting to see actual physical progresstowards the future IKEA West Chester,” said Michael Maier, IKEA real estate manager.