IKEA Proposing Warehouse Expansion at Boston-Area Store; Extension of IKEA Stoughton’s Self-Serve Furniture Area Will Help Meet Customers’ Growing Home Furnishing Needs

CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--IKEA, the world’s leading home furnishings retailer, today announced plans to expand the warehouse of its Boston-area store in Stoughton, MA. As a result of this work, IKEA Stoughton, which opened November 2005 at 357,000 square feet in size, will grow nearly 58,575 SF to the new size of approximately 415,575 SF. Construction activity will begin by this Fall, with an expected completion by Fall 2014. The store will remain open and operational during construction, maintaining its full product offering.

“IKEA is thrilled with the success of IKEA Stoughton. But, as its customer base and sales continue to grow – along with the product assortment we offer – the size of the store’s warehouse capacity now is less than ideal”

The project will include expanding the Self-Serve Furniture Area (where shoppers collect flat-packed furniture to take home on the same day), rearranging customer service functions to the newly built part of the store and enlarging the home delivery area. This extension will blend into the existing structure so the store can maintain the unique architectural design for which IKEA stores are known worldwide.

“IKEA is thrilled with the success of IKEA Stoughton. But, as its customer base and sales continue to grow – along with the product assortment we offer – the size of the store’s warehouse capacity now is less than ideal,” said Frank Briel, store manager. “Extending the store’s Self-Serve Furniture Area so it can hold more products will allow us to improve the shopping experience, to meet our customers’ needs more easily, and to enhance our ability to keep lowering prices.” Increased goods availability and the opportunity for the store to inventory more stock will result in transport savings continually passed on to customers.

For a year, IKEA Stoughton will undergo phased implementation of a reconfigured Self-Serve Furniture Area, a larger ‘As-Is’ section, as well as larger and shifted customer service areas such as Furniture Pick-Up and an expanded Home Delivery area. The Exit Bistro and Swedish Foodmarket, however, will stay in their current locations. During construction and build-up of this extension, the full product selection will remain available onsite. Ultimately, the store’s warehouse will increase from 111,442 SF to 170,017 SF.

IKEA aims to minimize any disruption or inconvenience to customers during the construction of the building’s extension. “This project may require some flexibility by our customers, but we are confident it will create an enhanced shopping experience with access to a bigger product selection and greater quantities of each item,” added Briel.

Located on 27 acres along Route 24 near Central Street (Exit 19B), the 357,000-S.F. IKEA Stoughton opened in November 2005. In addition to 10,000 exclusively designed items, IKEA Stoughton presents 50 different room-settings, three model home interiors, a supervised children’s play area, and a 350-seat restaurant. Other family-friendly features include a ‘Children’s IKEA’ area in the Showroom, baby care rooms, preferred parking and play areas throughout the store. After its opening, IKEA Stoughton became the first U.S. IKEA store to be awarded LEED certification by the U.S. Green Building Council. The store also hosts a green roof atop the store where solar panels also now are being installed.

IKEA strives to be ‘The Life Improvement Store,’ and since its 1943 founding in Sweden has offered home furnishings of good design and function at low prices so the majority of people can afford them. There are currently 340 IKEA stores in 41 countries, including 38 in the U.S. IKEA incorporates sustainability into day-to-day business and supports initiatives benefiting children and the environment. For more information, see IKEA-USA.com, facebook.com/IKEAUSA, @DesignByIKEA, and http://pinterest.com/IKEAUSA/.