IKEA Submits Plans To Open Las Vegas Store

Furniture World News Desk on 7/15/2014

Architectural Rendering of Proposed IKEA Las Vegas (opening Summer 2016


IKEA  announced that  it is submitting plans to Clark County, Nevada for a Las Vegas-area store that would increase the Swedish retailer’s presence in the western United States. The application marks the beginning of the governmental approval process that could lead to the store’s opening as early as Summer 2016. Until then, customers can shop at the closest IKEA stores in: Covina, CA; Tempe, AZ, or Draper, UT; or online at IKEA-USA.com.
 
Located in the Spring Valley area of Clark County, approximately 13 miles southwest of downtown Las Vegas, the 351,000-square-foot proposed IKEA store and its nearly 1,300 parking spaces would be built on 26 acres along the northern side of Interstate-215 at Durango Drive, near the intersection with Sunset Road. Store plans reflect the same unique architectural design for which IKEA stores are known worldwide. IKEA also will evaluate potential on-site power generation possibilities to complement its current U.S. renewable energy presence at nearly 90% of its U.S. locations.

“We look forward to continue growing our western U.S. presence with IKEA Las Vegas,” said IKEA U.S. CFO Rob Olson. “This accessible location would provide the already 101,000 Las Vegas-area customers a store of their own and introduce the unique IKEA shopping experience to other consumers throughout Clark County and Southern Nevada.”

IKEA Las Vegas 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 to be created during the construction phase, approximately 300 coworkers would join the IKEA family when the new store opens. IKEA Las Vegas also would provide significant annual sales and property tax revenue for local governments and schools.

IKEA, drawing from its Swedish heritage and respect of nature, believes it can be a good business while doing good business and aims to minimize impacts on the environment. 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, phasing-out the sale of incandescent light bulbs, facilitating recycling compact fluorescent bulbs, and by 2016 selling only LED bulbs. IKEA U.S. has solar arrays atop 90% of its locations, has announced plans to purchase 49 wind turbines in Illinois, and has rolled-out EV charging stations at 13 stores.

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. There are currently more than 350 IKEA stores in 44 countries, including 38 in the U.S. IKEA has been ranked in FORTUNE’s annual “100 Best Companies to Work For” list, Working Mother magazine’s annual list of “100 Best Companies for Working Mothers” and Training magazine’s annual “Top 100.” IKEA incorporates sustainability into day-to-day business and supports initiatives that benefit children and the environment. For more information see IKEA-USA.com.