IKEA to Offer Swedish Food, Fun, Furnishings and Sustainability When Its Second Ohio Store Opens Wednesday, June 7 in Columbus

June 1, 2017

COLUMBUS, Ohio–(BUSINESS WIRE)–IKEA, the world’s leading home furnishings retailer, today announced
that when its Columbus, Ohio store opens on June 7, it will recognize
loyal, enthusiastic customers by giving away thousands of dollars in
gift cards and merchandise – including an iconic EKTORP sofa for
each of the first 44 adults in line, and a POANG armchair for the
next 100. Other highlights include a free mattress for the
first 44 adults on Thursday, June 8 and Swedish Food shopping spree for
the first 44 on Friday, June 9. Customers may begin lining up at
9 a.m. EDT on Monday, June 5 – 48 hours before the store’s opening at 9
a.m. EDT on Wednesday, June 7. Ohio Lieutenant Governor Mary Taylor,
Columbus City Council President Pro Tem Priscilla Tyson, Deputy Chief of
Mission for the Swedish Embassy Göran Lithell, IKEA U.S. president Lars
Petersson and store manager David Garcia will officially open the store.


IKEA Columbus is the Swedish company’s second store and restaurant
destination in Ohio, 44th in the United States, and 397th
worldwide. (The state’s first IKEA store opened in Cincinnati-area West
Chester in 2008.) The 354,000 square-foot future IKEA Columbus store,
with 1,100 parking spaces, was built on 33 acres at the northeastern
corner of Interstate-71 and Gemini Place in the Polaris Centers of
Commerce. The store reflects the unique architectural design for which
IKEA is known worldwide, and includes one of Ohio’s largest rooftop
solar arrays – consistent with the solar presence at 90% of U.S. IKEA
locations – as well as three electric vehicle charging stations.

The June 7 ceremony also will include Delaware County Commission
President Jeff Benton raising the U.S. flag, Honorary Swedish Consul
General for Malou Monago raising the Swedish flag and Westerville Mayor
Kathy Cocuzzi raising the state flag of Ohio. Individual store coworkers
will sing the respective American and Swedish national anthems, and
“America the Beautiful” prior to the opening remarks. Entertainment for
customers waiting in line will begin at 6 a.m. EDT on opening day. “Just
as the IKEA store concept will introduce a new way of shopping for the
home, we want customers waiting in line to visit our store to enjoy the
unique experience too,” said David Garcia, IKEA Columbus store manager.
Store visitors will have opportunities to enjoy benefits from the grand
opening of IKEA Columbus, including:

Wednesday, June 7, 2017

  • Rest Assured – The first 44 adults (18 & older) in IKEA
    Columbus on June 7, 2017 will receive a free EKTORP three-seat sofa,
    honoring our 44th U.S. store.
  • Take a Seat (And We Mean Take It!) – The next 100 adults (18 &
    older) in IKEA Columbus on June 7, 2017 will receive a free POĂ„NG
    armchair.
  • For the (Truly) Young at Heart – The first 100 children (17 &
    younger) in IKEA Columbus on June 7, 2017 will receive a free FAMNIG
    heart-shaped soft toy.
  • Pick a Card, Any Card – The first 2,500 adults (18 & older) in
    IKEA Columbus on June 7, 2017 will receive a random prize envelope
    with IKEA Gift Cards ranging from $10 to $250, or a “Buy One, Get One
    Free” cinnamon bun, hotdog or soft-serve frozen yogurt voucher.
  • Happy Birthday to You and Us – The first 100 adults (18 &
    older) bringing proof to IKEA Columbus on June 7, 2017 their birthday
    is the same as the store’s will receive a gift card in the amount of
    $44, a tie-in corresponding to IKEA Columbus as the 44th
    U.S. IKEA store.
  • Enter our Home, Enter to Win – From June 7 through June 11,
    2017, visitors to IKEA Columbus may enter a drawing to win one of ten
    $1,000 IKEA Gift Cards through the IKEA FAMILY loyalty program. IKEA
    is matching the prizes (a total of $10,000) with a donation of home
    furnishings to The Homeless Families Foundation, a local organization
    that provides housing assistance and educational services to homeless
    families living in Columbus.

Thursday, June 8, 2017

  • Sleep Like Royalty – The first 44 adults (18 & older) in IKEA
    Columbus on Thursday, June 8, 2017 will receive a free queen-sized
    HAUGESUND mattress.
  • Cozy Comfort – The next 100 adults (18 & older) in IKEA
    Columbus on Thursday, June 8, 2017 will receive a free ALINA “sleep
    set” of bedspread and cushion covers and two FJADRAR pillows.
  • Kid’s Best Friend – The first 100 children (17 & younger) in
    IKEA Columbus on June 8, 2017 will receive a free GOSIG golden dog
    soft toy.

Friday, June 9, 2017

  • Cook (& Store) Like a Pro – The first 44 adults in IKEA
    Columbus on Friday, June 9, 2017 will receive a free 365+ 6-piece
    cookware starter set and a FORTROLIG food container storage set.
  • It’s in the Bag! – The next 44 adults (18 & older) in IKEA
    Columbus on Friday, June 9, 2017 will receive freezer bags filled with
    five different Swedish meals, complete with beverages and desserts,
    from the store’s Swedish Food Market.
  • A Cold Sweet-ish Treat – The first 100 children (17 & under) in
    IKEA Columbus on Friday, June 9, 2017 will receive a voucher for a
    soft-serve frozen yogurt that day at the Exit Bistro.

Wednesday, June 7 – Sunday, June 11, 2017

  • Play Big If You’re Little – Balloon artists, entertainment and
    face-painting will enhance the family-friendly fun at IKEA Columbus
    from June 7 through June 11, 2017.

ADDITIONAL OFFERS AT IKEA COLUMBUS

IKEA Columbus is a fun day out for the family with:

  • SmĂĄland, a supervised children’s play area (for children 37”-54” in
    height) that replicates the look of a typical Swedish farmhouse and
    forest;
  • Additional play areas throughout the store, offering activities for
    kids shopping with parents;
  • A “Children’s IKEA” area in the Showroom that also offers fun,
    interactive play; and
  • Attention-to-detail amenities such as family-friendly parking,
    strollers and baby care rooms.

No shopping on an empty stomach at IKEA Columbus because:

  • The IKEA Restaurant opens 30 minutes earlier than the store for a full
    hot breakfast, including scrambled eggs, potatoes, turkey sausage and
    Swedish pancakes for only $2.00.
  • The 450-seat restaurant also offers a diverse menu featuring lunch,
    dinner, snacks and dessert, including Swedish specialties such as the
    popular IKEA Swedish meatballs (as well as chicken or veggie
    versions), seafood plates, pasta, chicken, salads, sandwiches, and
    vegetarian dishes too.
  • Menu choices for kids include a child’s portion of Swedish meatballs,
    chicken fingers or macaroni and cheese, while baby food and bibs are
    available for even younger visitors.
  • The Swedish Food Market offers Swedish delicacies, snacks and treats,
    and frozen Swedish meatballs (the same ones available in the
    Restaurant) to purchase and then prepare at home.
  • The Exit Bistro serves hot dogs, pizza, cinnamon buns, frozen yogurt,
    sundaes and beverages.

IKEA Columbus shopping conveniences include:

  • Free design appointments with a furnishings consultant;
  • IKEA catalogs, measuring tape, pencils, store maps, yellow shopping
    bags and 3 types of carts;
  • Same-day shopping satisfaction with products in easy-to-transport
    flat-pack boxes that benefit the customer and the environment;
  • 26 checkout lanes to ensure efficient customer purchasing;
  • Warehouse picking, home-delivery, assembly, and kitchen planning and
    installation services; and
  • 2017 IKEA Catalogs, focused on how food-related activities help bring
    people together through everyday life in and around the kitchen.

When IKEA Columbus opens, there will be 397 IKEA stores in 48 countries,
including 44 in the U.S. 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. IKEA has been included in
rankings of “Best Companies to Work For” and strives to be an employer
of choice. 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.

Contacts

IKEA
Joseph Roth, Expansion Public Affairs
(610) 834-0180,
x6500
or
Burson-Marsteller
Kate Mitchell
(312)
596-3526; cell: (646) 204-7521