IKEA Continues Expansion into Southeastern U.S. with Plans to Open Hampton Roads Store Summer 2018 in Norfolk, VA

21 Jun 2016, 00:00 AM EDT

CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–IKEA, the world’s leading home furnishings retailer, today announced it
is submitting plans to the City of Norfolk, Virginia for a store that
would increase the Swedish company’s presence in the Southeastern U.S.
as its second store in Virginia. Pending approvals, construction of the
proposed IKEA Norfolk store could begin in Spring 2017, with an opening
in Summer 2018. Until then, customers can shop at IKEA stores in
Woodbridge, VA and Charlotte, NC, or online at IKEA-USA.com.

Located centrally within the Hampton Roads area, and eight miles east of
downtown Norfolk, the 331,000-square-foot proposed IKEA store and 1,000
parking spaces would be built on 19 acres at the northwestern corner of
Interstate 64 and Northampton Boulevard. Store plans reflect the same
unique architectural design for which IKEA stores are known worldwide.
IKEA also will evaluate potential on-site power generation to complement
its current U.S. renewable energy presence at nearly 90% of its U.S.
locations.

“We are excited at the possibility of growing our Southeastern U.S.
presence with a Norfolk store,” said IKEA U.S. president Lars Petersson.
“A location in this retail corridor would provide our nearly 35,000
Hampton Roads customers their own store and introduce the unique IKEA
shopping experience to others throughout southeast Virginia.”

The proposed IKEA Norfolk would feature nearly 10,000 exclusively
designed items, 50 inspirational room-settings, three model home
interiors, a supervised children’s play area, and a 450-seat restaurant
serving Swedish specialties such as meatballs with lingonberries and
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 during the
construction phase, approximately 250 coworkers would join the IKEA
family when the new store opens. IKEA Norfolk also would provide
significant annual sales and property tax revenue for local governments
and schools.

This project would represent the third significant investment by IKEA in
the state of Virginia. Besides this proposed Norfolk store and the store
in Woodbridge, there also is an IKEA furniture factory in Danville that
opened in 2008.

Drawing from its Swedish heritage and respect of nature, IKEA strives to
minimize its operations’ carbon emissions because reducing its
environmental impact makes good business sense. IKEA evaluates locations
regularly for conservation opportunities, integrates innovative
materials into product design, works to maintain sustainable resources,
and flat-packs goods for 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; and operationally, eliminating plastic bags from the
check-out process, and selling only LED bulbs/fixtures. IKEA U.S. has
installed electric vehicle charging stations at 13 locations and solar
arrays at 90% of its locations, and owns two wind farms in the U.S.

Since its 1943 founding in Sweden, IKEA has offered home furnishings of
good design and function at affordable prices. There are currently more
than 380 IKEA stores in 48 countries, including 42 in the U.S. IKEA has
been ranked among “Best Companies to Work For” and, as further
investment in its coworkers, has raised its own minimum wage twice in
two years. IKEA incorporates sustainability into day-to-day business and
supports initiatives that benefit children and the environment. For more
information see IKEA-USA.com,
@IKEAUSANews,
@IKEAUSA
or IKEAUSA on Facebook,
YouTube,
Instagram
and Pinterest.