Sneak peek: Phoenix gets a smaller Ikea store
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Can an Ikea fit inside a strip mall? We're going to find out. Photo: Jessica Boehm/Axios
Arizona's newest Ikea will have the meatballs, the iconic showroom and a grab-and-go marketplace, but it won't take you an hour to peruse.
What it matters: Phoenix residents have been clamoring for another, more central Ikea for decades.
- On Wednesday, they'll get one — albeit less than a quarter of the size of the Swedish retailer's Tempe superstore.
State of play: The small-format store, Ikea's first of its kind in the Valley, will be in a strip mall near Cactus Road and Tatum Boulevard, across from the Paradise Valley Mall redevelopment.
- The new concept is part of the company's $2.2 billion U.S. expansion plan to open smaller stores in more places.
Zoom in: I got a chance to scope it out before the opening. Here's how it compares to the Tempe store.
🔵 What's the same: The experience feels classically Ikea.
- The food court has a smaller menu, but maintains the staples, including Swedish meatballs, veggie dogs and cinnamon buns.
- There are arrows on the ground to guide you through the showroom, and you are encouraged to follow them through the entire store before reaching the checkout.
- There's a "second life" section where retired showroom items and returns are sold as-is at steep discounts.
🟡 What's different: It's in a strip mall, not a stand-alone warehouse with a vast parking lot. Other changes were more subtle.
- There's a central planning area where staff can help you design any part of your home (at traditional Ikeas, planning is done by room throughout the store).
- Only about 3,000 of the 4,000 items on display are available to buy on-site. The rest can be ordered for delivery or pickup;
- You can get through the entire store in less than 15 minutes.
The intrigue: At 75,000 square feet, it's about half the size of a Target.
- But inside, it felt huge. The arrows kept going through mocked-up kitchens, bedrooms and living rooms and I was impressed how the designers packed so much in without it feeling cramped or disorganized.
What's next: The grand opening is at 9:30am Wednesday, with gift card giveaways, free cinnamon buns and other festivities beginning at 8am.
What they're saying: "There's a lot of customers that have already tried to come in — they can't wait," store manager Tony Ramos, who moved to Arizona 21 years ago to open Ikea in Tempe, told us.
