IKEA Opening 2/18/09...9am! (Charlotte, Raleigh, Star: sales, hotels, new house)

[Nomad Relo]

moderator note: Thread relocated from Raleigh forum

from Charlotte BizJournal....

Swedish home-furnishings retailer Ikea will open its Charlotte store Feb. 18. at 9 a.m.

The 356,000-square-foot store will open on a 25-acre site off Interstate 85 at City Boulevard.

[Bilirubin]

Thanks, but that doesn't really help me here. But I guess it is ~60 miles closer than the Woodbridge store. You'd think they'd put one in the Triangle before Charlotte.

[PDXmom]

Originally Posted by Nomad Relo

from Charlotte BizJournal....

Swedish home-furnishings retailer Ikea will open its Charlotte store Feb. 18. at 9 a.m.

The 356,000-square-foot store will open on a 25-acre site off Interstate 85 at City Boulevard.

Whooaaaa! I'm doing my happy dance!!! Thanks for letting us know.
Anyone booking an hotel for the 17th so they can be there bright and early?

Originally Posted by Bilirubin

But I guess it is ~60 miles closer than the Woodbridge store. You'd think they'd put one in the Triangle before Charlotte.

According to Google maps Charlotte is 90 miles closer and a little under 1.5 hours closer. I'd take the drive to Charlotte anyday over the drive to Woodbridge. Plus the sales tax will stay in my state. And I don't think the Triangle is big enough or dense enough for the Ikea Business Model. I'm just happy there is one in Charlotte opening.

[JimmyO]

Originally Posted by Bilirubin

Thanks, but that doesn't really help me here. But I guess it is ~60 miles closer than the Woodbridge store. You'd think they'd put one in the Triangle before Charlotte.

Had they made the plans AFTER the banking biz took such a hit, I bet The Triangle would have gotten a much closer look as a potential market.

Anyway, that's perfect timing for us. We should be closing on our new house right around then and will need a kitchen table, shelves, end tables, etc. I'm not sold on Ikea for big-ticket furniture items, but like their smaller funky accent items.

[Jdatlas]

Thanks for the update. I will be there!

[NCgirl]

Here's a little more info. 356,000-SF Ikea To Open Ahead of Schedule

"We made excellent progress on construction in the summer and fall, so we are thrilled, yet confident, the remaining construction milestones and interior build-up process will be complete by February--much earlier than originally envisioned,” said Richard Castanon, store manager of the future Ikea Charlotte, in a release. “Now our primary goal is hiring and training the nearly 400 local hires joining the Ikea family before we open.”

Opening in the midst of a recession does not have the furniture retailer worried, says Joseph Roth, director of public affairs for Ikea North America. “Expectations for the Charlotte location are just as they are for any other,” he tells GlobeSt.com. “We think Charlotte is a vibrant home furnishing market where people value good design and good function. And in uncertain economic times we believe Ikea stands out because there is an emphasis on value.”

The 25-acre Ikea site, which includes 1,600 parking spaces, is surrounded by 175-acres to be developed by Charlotte-based Crescent Resources LLC. The firm plans to build 400,000 square feet of retail, up to 720 residential units and two hotels with up to 200 rooms each on the site to be called Belgate.

Note for trip planners. City Blvd. and University City Blvd. are near each other but they are not the same road. City Blvd, is exit #43 and is currently incorrectly labeled on google maps. Pre construction Aerial photo (http://www.crescent-resources.com/retail/ikea/aerial.asp - broken link).

Short article about choosing the Charlotte location. Behind the Scenes 2007

Terri DeBoo

Terri DeBoo made headlines in 2007 for being the woman who sparked the decision by Swedish-retailer Ikea to build in Charlotte.

The tireless networker launched an e-mail campaign three years earlier after realizing she'd have to drive to Atlanta to buy some Ikea couches she admired.

She decided she and many other Charlotteans would rather have the retailer come to them.

As chairwoman of the Charlotte Chamber's South Charlotte Area Council at the time, she was aware of how businesses choose new markets. She sent Ikea extensive demographic information about the city and even suggested a location.

After getting a reply, DeBoo did what she does best -- she paired Charlotte and Ikea officials, and the project was off and rolling.

[ferrickhead28]

YES!!!
Just in time too! I will have my income tax return by then!

[cherryweb]

Way to go North Carolina, we finally got an Ikea. Now we get an In and Out(real hamburgers), El Pollo Loco (healthier fast food) or put a cap on the number of allowable Walmart SuperCenters, we can make some progress. Opps sorry, just having a west coast Flashback.


I would also settle for a ban on the explosion of franchise restaurants there may be hope after all. Saving an hours' drive to get to Ikea does help.

[SunnyKayak]

Here we are promoting cheaply made furniture of cheap quality while there is more North Carolina furniture closing doors.

[daveraleigh]

Originally Posted by cherryweb

Way to go North Carolina, we finally got an Ikea. Now we get an In and Out(real hamburgers), El Pollo Loco (healthier fast food) or put a cap on the number of allowable Walmart SuperCenters, we can make some progress. Opps sorry, just having a west coast Flashback.


I would also settle for a ban on the explosion of franchise restaurants there may be hope after all. Saving an hours' drive to get to Ikea does help.

lol...I take it you mean a cap on franchise restaurants after In/Out and Pollo Loco?

Try Cook Out for the burgers and there is (or was) plans for a Pollo Loco in the Starmount shopping center off of Capital. Heard about it months ago...but nothing recently.