Well, according to yesterday's Boston Globe, the IKEA in Stoughton/Avon will be open in summer 2005. The Mystic Valley (Anti-IKEA) Development Ctte won't let them move into the old Assembly Sq. Mall site.

Anyways, having an IKEA in Avon will be lots nicer than driving up to Montreal or down to NJ for shopping, though it would be nicer to walk to one in Somerville. Ah well, just 18 more months or so.... :)

What IS this aversion to catalog shopping on IKEA's part? I actually stole a catalog from a friend once only to find out it would do me more good to drive to the Toronto store and haul the thing back.

There was going to be a store in Somerville opening in spring of 2004, but that listing quietly disappeared from IKEA literature some months back. But while driving down to NYC over Thanksgiving, we noted an IKEA going in at New Haven, right next to the former Pirelli Building (on which a big explanatory banner was hung).

IKEA's aversion to catalog shopping is truly bizarre. It is the cheapest way to sell at retail, and it is so easy to do anyone can do it -- look at all the antique (and not so antique) furniture changing hands on eBay, and it isn't even flat-packed!

I am even more frustrated --- I live in Florida, thus the closest Ikea store is the one in Virginia (unless it's the one in Texas). I don't know why they haven't opened stores all over the country either. Home-building and apartment rentals are having a big upswing in the Central Florida area; it would be nice to have an inexpensive alternative to the humongous Stonehenge-like stuff they sell at Rooms-to-Go. (There are some Swedish Moderne-type stores here, but they are all trendy and overpriced. There are a few things at Target, but it's not much above Walmart in quality if you ask me.)

A quick visit to http://www.ikea-usa.com/ shows a "how to order" and apparently there are no options for shipping.

As many a person who has moved can attest, deliveries by any of the moving/van/storage companies are not by any particular schedule unless the shipment is sufficient to require a dedicated truck: if it does not, the shipment is assigned catch-as-catch-can to whatever is moving in the general direction - and if nothing is going near you, you may be charged for storage...

Detroit is currently and blissfully free of IKEA, though we have had a couple of Scandinavian modern stores with expensive stuff in the suburbs for about 30 years. I'm not sure if the blue-collar, UAW world of Detroit would really "cotton" to IKEA. There is a yuppie taint to the place that I'm not sure they could look past.

For those who want cheap furniture in Detroit, there are Target, still-struggling Kmart, and Wal-Mart, which have been here for years, or Michigan chain Meijer. Their furniture is mostly like IKEA's, too! You have to assemble it yourself!

For those not in an IKEA market, an alternative to their weird Web site and lack of e-commerce is the eBay resellers. There are about six to 10 people who seem to make their entire living on eBay buying and reselling IKEA merchandise to anyone anywhere in North America (not just the USA). You can even e-mail these resellers, and they just might go out and buy the things you want and ship them to you for less than what IKEA charges.

Hmm... The comment about Ikea and the "UAW world of Detroit" is pretty ignorant. Have you been to Somerset lately? The Detroit area has outlets of pretty every other major retail outlet available -high, low and middle end. There are plenty of people in the Detroit area that are not UAW blue-collar types - thank god! Besides Canton will be getting an IKEA in 2006. Long live IKEA!

Whoever doubted that the Detroit area lacked interest in Ikea must recognize now how wrong he/she was. Ikea just announced a super store for the Detroit area. I fully expect even blue coller people lining up... not that Detroit lacks plenty of upscale and hipster people

Sure, I'm aware of Somerset, but that's an exclusive mall and not typical of retail in Detroit. Blue and white collar middle class people are the backbone of this area.

And I do fear they'll charge to that blue and yellow blight that will rise up in Canton Township, and I will mourn for them all. Cheap furniture will simply break and fill up landfills as it continually needs replacing.

Ikea is opening in South Florida, Davie (broward County 2006

From South Florida Business Journal...
10/11/2004

Ikea passes on Davie site, still looking

From its U.S. headquarters in Plymouth Meeting, Pa., Ikea said it is no longer is considering a 42-acre site in Davie as a potential location for a South Florida store. However, the company said it will continue evaluating the market and assessing additional opportunities in South Florida, without a specific timeframe for opening a store.

The Swedish home furnishings retailer has indicated earlier this year it was evaluating the feasibility of a 42-acre site in Davie as its first store and restaurant destination in the state.

i agree that detroit and its suburbs are basically populated by unimaginative UAW wonks. but i'm guessing the delay in getting an ikea here (it was supposed to be here THIS year!) is because of secret roadblocking by the family that runs Art Van. (the guy's name is Art Van-somethingorother.)

His name is Art Van Elslander, and yes they are a wealthy and powerful family. But more likely the delay in IkEA's arrival is due to its very deliberately slow 'n' gradual expansion in North America.

looks like ikea and the michigan suburbs regrouped, and the deal is back on:

http://www.detnews.com/2005/wayne/0505/21/B03-187566.htm

i hope nobody fucks it up this time. i've been waiting 7 years for this.

Hi, we're from Heidelberg, Germany. Now living in Jacksonville, Florida. Really miss
IKEA. 'Putting off buying furniture and things for our home, cuz I keep hearing there
will be an IKEA store in Florida soon, either in Davie or Sunrise. Maybe there are
more locations planned - We need one in North Florida! By the way there are alot
of Germans in Florida, who are used to being able to shop in any one of the many
locations in Germany. We have been longtime faithful customers over the years-
actually IKEA is more like a way of life! So, to you IKEA Execs, send IKEA our way
to Jacksonville! Even though I work in the Nursing field, I like IKEA so much I'd like
to work, at IKEA at least p/t. Well, until we have IKEA, we'll just have to watch our
old- but precious- VHS tapes of the Swedish Pippi Longstocking series we grew up
watching, in Nussloch bei Heidelberg. Alles Gute, Evi und Raimund und Familie

Hi,
how about an Ikea in Jacksonville, Florida?!!!

Hey,
Is there a website with updates on IKEA stores coming to new areas? I am trying to find out about when will they finally decide to open an Ikea in South Florida?

The main North American site(ikea-usa.com) is your best source for new stores opening up nationwide.

There will be 50 new stores throughout North America within the next 10 years, ie 5 per year. The South in general is indeed a focal point of expansion.

I too await Ikea in SOFLA - can't be soon enough. Mom needs a new kitchen, I need a new bedroom set. Those opposed to Ikea in Broward haven't a clue how wonderful it is.

Now, if they'd just put a Trader Joes in close proximity, I'd be able to tolerate Miami a wee bit better :)

I've never encountered anything so backward and lame in all my life than ordering through IKEA online. I'm almost in disbelief about how bad my experience has been.

First I call the new Stoughton, MA store to find out their exact location but the store's vmail is full(!!). I then get directions to the approximate area since I'm coming all the way from Cambridge (15 miles). I get all the way down there and the store isn't even open for business yet, they're still building it!! Had I been able to get in touch with someone I would have known.

I then try to order online. I have to give them all my odering info (credit card, address, #s) and the I'll receive an email in a few days telling me the exact amount of my order? ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Not only is this method a bit dubious, it's ripe for all kinds of theft. To make matters worse, the shipping cost is more than the product. A month later, I'm still getting emails about my cancelled order. That's why I'm writing now.

IKEA ONLINE IS INEPT and the person running it should be fired. As I've said above, I've never experienced anything so lame. I wish there was a way to express this to corporate.

Is IKEA now coming to Florida, or not?
Does anyone know?

For Stores coming soon, click on link below and scroll down to the bottom of the page. There is no mentioning of a store in Florida for 2006 :-(

http://www.ikea-group.ikea.com/about_ikea/ikea_group_stores.html

There is an IKEA location for Sunrise FL listed in IKEA's in-store inventory computers, but no mention of it on their web site.

to disgusted and frustrated: i've had the same experience ordering online. yeah, they're really stupid. but i think it's deliberate to keep orders at bay. if they had an efficient online process, they'd also probably run out of furniture fast unless they cranked up the supply, and maybe they just don't want to. they're building a store here (detroit) after a couple of fitful starts and stops. finally. i've paid many hundreds of dollars in shipping to avoid driving to chicago and back.

I also live in South Florida and still waiting for Ikea to open down here.
Apparently they have a few 'building permits' through the company that owns the land (Stiles Development Corp.) for the corner of 136th Ave and I-595, the old location for Blockbuster Golf & Games in the Sunrise / Sawgrass area.
I don't know if these permits are for land studies or to open a store for sure. But this is the only information I've found so far and it dates back to 7/25/05. As of today, 11/24/05, it seems this permit is still in review by the South Florida Water Management District. If or when it goes through, I'll post info here quickly.
Unless somebody else beats me to the punch (read top of page on the link below for info how to see permit info). Here's the website where I found this information, I'm not making this up:
http://www.sfwmd.gov/org/reg/permitapp/072505/broward.pdf

Site plan approved

for IKEA furniture store

The City Commission on Tuesday approved a site plan for a 292,000-square-foot IKEA furniture store, a cafe, restaurant and parking garage. The store would be on 20 acres at the northwest corner of Northwest 136th Avenue and State Road 84.

IKEA is evaluating other Florida sites, said company spokesman Joseph Roth, but the Sunrise location offers a desirable combination of available space, high visibility and easy access.

Broward County

Oh thank you lord! I will be waiting with bated breath for the Sawgrass location. Hubby & I have been known to plan our vacations around IKEA - we've been to Chicago, Houston (three times), and Atlanta. Even got my Father in law enthusiastic!

I must have been fortunate with my catalog order a couple of years ago - of course I didn't order any heavy furniture. Just four large picture frames and a small sofa table that was easily shipped UPS. From the phone call order to the timely receipt of my order, everything arrived just fine.

Oh I'm just tickled to know the FL location is a go again! Woohoo!

Ikea is awesome. I also plan trips around Ikea stores, I thouht my wife and I were the only crazy people to do this.

The Minnesota store is nice, it would be great to see one open up in South Florida. No baseball but at least we'll have an Ikea.

Looking for scandinavian stores Detroit Michigan anyone know of any? If so please let me know
Caroline
cwaldejensen@yahoo.com
thanks

YES!

An IKEA less than ONE mile from my house?!?!!! If I had known, I wouldn't have bought all of my furniture (I moved there a year ago).

I think this is a great location. There was a rumor that the site they're using was going to be turned into condos. (Like we need more of those)

The location they pulled out of (30 blocks east) was actually in a pretty nice residential area, this location is near some houses, but there are a LOT of office buildings near it (as well as the Sawgrass Mills Mall literally down the street). It will be a much better fit.

Side Note - Ironically, I had to read the other Debbie's post again about wanting a SoFla Ikea (never heard of Trader Joe's), b/c My mother needs a new kitchen, too, and I just bought a bedroom set b/c I, too, needed one. Small world.

IKEA is opening a new store in South Sacramento, CA on 3/2/06. They have a novel way of creating excitement. Word is they will have a $$$ prize for the first three people in line. Also, heard that people from far off places are lined up at the door. I bought a new home in The Villages, FL and hope there will someday be an IKEA nearby.

I was at the IKEA store in NYC (NJ actually) this past week and asked a manager there about the South Florida store. It was stated another location is in the works for Central Florida. I am trying to find out any information that this is true. Central Florida is exploding and it would go so great near the Millennia Mall.

One can only hope and wait, well, at least next Summer drive a few hours instead of to Atlanta.

I'm moving back to Fla from PA, and the truth is, I was going to miss IKEA more than anything. I'm sooooo glad I'll have the "melting pot", the people's vitality, the Ikea and the nice weather! (I'll probably miss Trader Joes too) but I think I like Miami a "wee bit better" than Debbie! :)

Retailer IKEA broke ground on a 309,000-square-foot store in Orlando, Florida, U.S., scheduled to open in late Fall 2007, following the groundbreaking of a Broward County, Florida IKEA store, which is scheduled to open in early Fall 2007.

The Orlando store will present nearly 10,000 exclusively designed items, including a line of major appliances made exclusively for the retailer by Whirlpool Corporation. The line includes built-in ovens, electric and gas cooktops, ranges, refrigerators and freezers, and dishwashers. The Orlando store will display its products in three model homes and in 50 room settings.

The retail chain has more than 250 stores in 34 countries, including 29 in the U.S.

I have a cousin who has been in the retail business for a long time who was contacted by an Ikea recruiter for a proposed Jacksonville store.