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Axios Huntsville

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It's official: Huntsville's Ikea store will be open within a week. 

Why it matters: Ikea has long been among the city's most-desired retailers, announcing last summer its plan to bring a new, smaller-format store to University Drive near GigaParts.

The latest: Ikea US announced Wednesday it will open the store, its first in Alabama, on Wednesday, Feb. 25 with a grand-opening celebration.

Customers can start lining up at 7am, and festivities will kick off at 8am with toys for the first 100 kids and giveaways including Ikea products and gift cards.

Regular store hours will be 11am-7pm every day of the week. 

What they're saying: "As we expand our presence in the U.S., we're excited to introduce the Ikea experience to North Alabama," said Rob Olson, interim CEO of Ikea U.S., in the announcement. 

"Ikea Huntsville reflects our dedication to serving customers where they are and providing innovative, affordable solutions that make every day life better."

Zoom in: The 46,000-square-foot store will showcase more than 5,000 products, with more than 2,000 available for immediate takeaway.

An As-Is Department will offer sustainable options, and though it will be smaller than traditional Ikea stores, it will still offer the famous Swedish meatballs and other fare. 

Context: The new store comes as the company invests in growth as part of a $2.2 billion investment to become more affordable, accessible and sustainable, Ikea says.

Ikea Huntsville grand opening set for Feb. 25

Ikea US announced it will open the store, its first in Alabama, on Feb. 25 with a grand-opening celebration.

Front view of an IKEA store with blue and white exterior, large yellow IKEA sign, glass windows, and empty asphalt parking lot in front during daytime.

The Huntsville store is getting the finishing touches. Photo: Courtesy IKEA

It&#x27;s official: Huntsville&#x27;s Ikea store will be open within a week. Why it matters: Ikea has long been among the city&#x27;s most-desired retailers, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="announcing last summer" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/huntsville/2025/08/12/ikea-huntsville-alabama-store-midcity-opening" data-vars-content-id="1ba8a082-7758-4d5e-92c8-3538a16c77ff" data-vars-headline="Ikea Huntsville grand opening set for Feb. 25" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/huntsville/2025/08/12/ikea-huntsville-alabama-store-midcity-opening" target="_self">announcing last summer</a> its plan to bring a new, smaller-format store to University Drive near GigaParts.

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Business

News

After months of anticipation, Ikea opens Wednesday on University Drive. 

Why it matters: Ranking high among Huntsville's most-wanted retailers, Ikea is bringing its new smaller-format store to the Rocket City, targeting the rapidly growing area for its first store in Alabama. 

Catch up quick: The Swedish furniture giant opened its doors to local media Monday morning for a peek inside ahead of its Wednesday grand opening event.

Store manager Brad Ellis, moving back to Huntsville from Memphis, where Ikea plans to close its store in May, told Axios the move is "a bit of a homecoming for me." He lived in Huntsville for about 15 years before leaving roughly a decade ago. 

Two self-service kiosks with touchscreens and card readers in a light wood-floored IKEA food market area. Screens show plant balls and hot dog options. Tables and signage in background.

Order the Swedish meatballs hot and fresh, or grab a bag from the freezer to take home for later. Photo: Derek Lacey/Axios

Zoom in: The 46,000-square-foot store is about one-sixth the footprint of the traditional Ikea store that can be found in Atlanta or Charlotte.

The Huntsville store has about 5,000 items on display, about 2,000 of which are available for immediate takeaway, Ellis said, but that's about where the differences end. 

Ellis noted the store will offer its planning studio service, the same as a full-size Ikea store, as well as dedicated planners for kitchens, closet organization or living room organization systems. 

And the restaurant situation is similar, too, with the famous Swedish meatballs and other eats on offer, either to eat in-store or grab frozen to take home.

Modern kitchen showroom with navy blue cabinets, white marble countertops, gold faucet, two white chairs, two black pendant lights, and various kitchen displays and decor items.

Red tag means it's available for immediate takeaway. Yellow means delivery or store pickup later. Photo: Derek Lacey/Axios

What they're saying: "It's all about putting stores closer to where people are," Ellis said at the store Monday. "Fundamentally, you still get the same Ikea shopping experience."

"The biggest difference is that we don't stock a lot of the full-size furniture articles in the store," he said, though they're available for delivery or store pickup.

The "shrunken-down version" still includes five fully furnished rooms, and best-sellers are front and center, with displays focusing on showcasing different options, Ellis said.

How it works: The store will be open 11am–7pm every day. 

For the grand opening Wednesday, though, doors open at 10am, but the festivities start earlier than that. The celebration, including giveaways, will begin at 8am and folks can start lining up at 7am.

Ellis' pro tips: Get there early and be ready for a crowd. 

Modern living room and kitchen showroom with black and beige furniture, a striped rug, orange and black pillows, round coffee tables, hanging round lamp, and text on wall about sofas' 10-year limited warranty.

Store: smaller. Vibes: full-size. Photo: Derek Lacey/Axios

💭 Derek's thought bubble: It's been a while since I've been in an Ikea, but this one hits all the same feels: arrows on the floor, the potential to get lost (I had to backtrack once to get to the cafe) and Ikea's signature vibe. 

You may not be able to wander around all day, as you can at the larger stores, but you could still spend plenty of time there, and the way they pack everything in, there's plenty to keep you busy.

The bottom line: "Huntsville is a growing market," Ellis told Axios. "It's the kind of place Ikea wants to be."

Inside Huntsville's new smaller-format Ikea

The grand opening of Ikea's first Alabama location is on Wednesday, Feb. 25.

IKEA Huntsville showroom with a brown leather sectional sofa, a black chair with a polka dot pillow, and a sign reading "A perfect spot to do nothing" in a bright, modern store setting.

Ikea Huntsville may have a smaller format, but it still scratches the same itch. Photo: Derek Lacey/Axios

After <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="months of" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/huntsville/2025/08/12/ikea-huntsville-alabama-store-midcity-opening" data-vars-content-id="3580d4e1-04ed-4988-814f-056567a76daf" data-vars-headline="Inside Huntsville&#x27;s new smaller-format Ikea" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/huntsville/2025/08/12/ikea-huntsville-alabama-store-midcity-opening" target="_self">months of</a> anticipation, Ikea opens Wednesday on University Drive. Why it matters: Ranking high among Huntsville&#x27;s most-wanted retailers, Ikea is bringing its new <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="smaller-format store" data-vars-click-url="https://www.ikea.com/us/en/newsroom/corporate-news/ikea-u-s-to-celebrate-grand-opening-of-first-location-in-alabama-on-february-25-pubf3895110/" data-vars-content-id="3580d4e1-04ed-4988-814f-056567a76daf" data-vars-headline="Inside Huntsville&#x27;s new smaller-format Ikea" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.ikea.com/us/en/newsroom/corporate-news/ikea-u-s-to-celebrate-grand-opening-of-first-location-in-alabama-on-february-25-pubf3895110/" target="_blank">smaller-format store</a> to the Rocket City, targeting the rapidly growing area for its first store in Alabama.

Development

Real Estate

The Residences at Front Row is getting ready to sign its first leases for a targeted June move-in date. 

Why it matters: The sprawling mixed-use development under construction across from the Von Braun Center has been years in the making and is expected to help transform that "gateway" into downtown. 

Also in the works nearby is the city's wide-reaching PARC project, including "Skybridge" and the Pinhook Creek restoration/greenway project.

Zoom in: On Tuesday, developers Essex Capital and Ascend Property Group announced the launch of pre-leasing and an official website offering the first look at apartment layouts. 

The development is offering "a blend of thoughtfully designed rental residences, curated retail, class-A offices, curated art, and vibrant green spaces," the announcement said. 

The website shows multiple layouts for studios and one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartment layouts.

Front Row will also have a central green space, patios, public art, gathering spaces, and pool decks in each building.

What they're saying: "Front Row is designed to be an asset that businesses can point to when recruiting," said Dan Shields of Ascend Property Group, a co-manager of the development's ownership team.

Catch up quick: Front Row is being constructed at the site of the former Coca-Cola Bottling facility, which closed in 2012 and was later demolished.

The 13-acre property was listed for sale in 2016 and identified as a "key site" in Huntsville's Downtown Master Plan. First approved in 2021, the Front Row project was initially set to start construction in 2022. 

In 2023, the city and developer agreed on an amended project scope, splitting it into phases and setting a May 1, 2024, deadline for the project to break ground.

By the numbers: The $220 million first phase of the estimated $375 million project includes nearly 50,000 square feet of retail, per Tuesday's announcement.

The development includes 545 apartments across the two buildings, with 40,000 square feet each of amenity space and Class A office space. 

What we're watching: Two buildings, dubbed 1 and 2 Front Row Boulevard, frame the central green space and will open separately. 

2 Front Row opens in June with an initial 190 apartments and 2,600 square feet of retail. 

1 Front Row is scheduled for completion in 2027, set to include the office space, more retail, and potentially a hotel, shown in earlier renderings as a taller, central building.

The bottom line: "If people are speaking about the Front Row neighborhood in downtown Huntsville by saying 'I'll meet you at Front Row,' that would be a success to us," said Mitch Rutter of Essex Capital, co-manager of the ownership team. 

Front Row opens leasing, targets June move-ins

The sprawling mixed-use development has launched its official website.

Urban street scene at sunset with a modern mixed-use building featuring shops like "SHARKY" and "greener" and a large illuminated sign reading "FRONTROW" with an artistic sculpture.

This rendering is of the corner of Monroe and Clinton, looking toward the parkway, with the Von Braun Center out of frame to the left. Image: Courtesy Bloom Render

The Residences at Front Row is getting ready to sign its first leases for a targeted June move-in date. Why it matters: The sprawling mixed-use development under construction across from the Von Braun Center has been years in the making and is expected to help transform that &quot;gateway&quot; into downtown.

Business Brief

Local Brief

Construction is underway at John Hunt Park on the Joy McKee Arboretum, newly named to honor a longtime steward of Huntsville's green spaces.

Why it matters: City landscapers saw an opportunity to preserve history, support native trees and urban canopy, give visitors a nature break and educate the public in an unused corner of the park.

Zoom in: The $400,000 arboretum spans three acres along Alex McAllister Drive — between the Get-A-Way Skatepark and the championship soccer fields — and aims to showcase native trees and plants.

The city plans to open the arboretum in May, weather permitting, said Brian Walker, Huntsville's director of Landscape Management & Green Team.

Zoom out: The city will seek a Level II arboretum designation from the Arbor Day Foundation, a certification requiring at least 100 labeled tree or woody plant species and a "commitment to public education and collections management." 

That designation "makes us like a living museum," Nikole Sothers, manager of the city's Landscape Management Department, told Axios.

How it works: The city will create dry creeks, rises and dips to represent the ecosystems around Huntsville where the featured trees can be found in the wild, from the heights of Monte Sano to the bogs of Hampton Cove.

Alongside oaks, shagbark hickories, bald cypresses, river birches and the seedless Cherokee Sweetgum, the arboretum will include art installations and educational assets like QR codes to educate visitors about the trees.

The center will be laid with sod in order to create room for picnics and gatherings surrounded by the trees.

Catch up quick: The arboretum emerged as a concept about two years ago, Walker told Axios. 

It received a $50,000 donation from the Rotary Club last year, and more donations are expected, he said. Work like irrigation, fencing and concrete is being done in-house by city crews. 

The arboretum will also preserve and incorporate mature dogwood trees planted in the early 1950s for the first terminal building at the old Huntsville Airport that once stood where the park is now.

What they're saying: "It was like: OK, we've got these really great trees. How do we preserve them?" Sothers said.

The arboretum will incorporate 20 or so magnolia trees from the magnolia garden at the old city hall, City Arborist Marc Byers said.

The bottom line: "We felt like that was the ideal spot for people to take a break ... and have a place that they can go and sit down and enjoy nature," Walker said.

"A living museum:" Joy McKee Arboretum takes root

Huntsville plans to open the arboretum in May, weather permitting.

Large leafless tree inside a fenced-off tree protection zone on brown soil, with a clear blue sky and other leafless trees in the background.

Two 70-plus-year-old dogwoods on the site will be incorporated into the arboretum layout. Photo: Derek Lacey/Axios

Construction is underway at John Hunt Park on the Joy McKee Arboretum, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="newly named to honor" data-vars-click-url="https://www.huntsvilleal.gov/huntsville-approves-naming-of-arboretum-for-longtime-landscape-director-joy-mckee/" data-vars-content-id="c488d2bc-bbf6-4051-bc2c-0a0715a7063c" data-vars-headline="&quot;A living museum:&quot; Joy McKee Arboretum takes root" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.huntsvilleal.gov/huntsville-approves-naming-of-arboretum-for-longtime-landscape-director-joy-mckee/" target="_blank">newly named to honor</a> a longtime steward of Huntsville&#x27;s green spaces.Why it matters: City landscapers saw an opportunity to preserve history, support native trees and urban canopy, give visitors a nature break and educate the public in an unused corner of the park.

Environment

A bill introduced in the state Legislature aims to set minimum staffing levels for Huntsville and Montgomery police departments.

Why it matters: If passed, the bill could lead to a state takeover of local law enforcement, though Huntsville leaders say the city already meets the bill's requirements.

Zoom in: Senate Bill 298, introduced by Sen. Will Barfoot of Elmore, Montgomery and Crenshaw counties, requires police departments in the state's Class 3 municipalities to have two sworn officers for every 1,000 residents by Oct. 1. 

The bill applies to Class 3 municipalities, which the Alabama state law defines as having a population of 100,000-174,999 in 1970.

The only two in the state are Huntsville (139,282 in 1970) and Montgomery (133,386 in 1970).

The bill calculates the two-officers requirement using the 2020 Census, which puts Huntsville's population at 215,006, meaning the bill would require 430 sworn officers in Huntsville. 

How it works: The bill gives the cities till Oct. 1 this year, when a five-year grace period begins. The cities must make progress toward the ratio at 10% of the missing number each year. 

If they can't reach the goal, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency "may assume operational oversight of the police department," and take related actions for at least a year after the department comes into compliance.  

What they're saying: "The proposed legislation applies to an antiquated system of municipal classifications," the city said in a statement to Axios. "The City of Huntsville already meets all of these requirements."

Barfoot did not return requests for comment from Axios this week.

State Sen. Sam Givhan told Axios that he's been in contact with Huntsville Police Chief Kirk Giles and other representatives from Huntsville as they work through the process.

Givhan said while the city meets the requirements, it may not in the future.

Context: Montgomery officials are pushing back on the measure, per the Alabama Political Reporter, with Mayor Steven Reed calling it "a solution in search of a problem" at a hearing.

"There are major differences between the circumstances that we enjoy in our community and those being experienced by those in Montgomery," Givhan said to Axios in an email. "We don't need as many officers in Huntsville as they do in Montgomery."

What we're watching: The bill was heard in the Senate's County and Municipal Government Committee Tuesday, and APR reports it's the first item on that committee's schedule next week.

Senate bill targets police staffing in Huntsville, Montgomery

Senate Bill 298 would require police departments in Alabama's Class 3 municipalities to have two sworn officers for every 1,000 residents by Oct. 1.

Illustration of a police hat over a blue and purple background with elements of ballots.

A bill introduced in the state Legislature aims to set minimum staffing levels for Huntsville and Montgomery police departments.Why it matters: If passed, the bill could lead to a state takeover of local law enforcement, though Huntsville leaders say the city already meets the bill&#x27;s requirements.

Derek Lacey

Featured stories

Front Row opens leasing, targets June move-ins

Inside Huntsville's new smaller-format Ikea

"A living museum:" Joy McKee Arboretum takes root

Ikea Huntsville grand opening set for Feb. 25

Senate bill targets police staffing in Huntsville, Montgomery