IKEA fans will be able to get a taste of shopping the store on the high street when its new branch opens.
The chain has announced its new store in Hammersmith, West London, will be opening next month with a brand-new format.
The move marks the first time UK customers will be able to shop a wide range of IKEA products on the high street.
IKEA has unveiled a series of images to show the new format, which is the first of its kind in the UK, and only the 8th of its kind globally. The store has been awarded a BREEAM ‘Outstanding’ certification - a sustainability rating given to less than 1% of UK new non-domestic buildings.
Taking inspiration from life at home in London, the smaller store will still include everything customers love about IKEA while making it easier and quicker to shop their favourite products.
With a focus on home accessories and soft furnishings, roomsets will bring to life urban living, while larger home furniture pieces will also be on display and can be ordered for home delivery or delivery to nearby collection points.
Set across two floors with 4,600 sqm worth of commercial space, IKEA Hammersmith will have a free-flowing layout. The well-known Market Hall will be replaced with products located next to the roomsets they represent, helping customers with items already in mind, or for those looking for home furnishing or sustainable living inspiration whilst on their lunch break.
The store will be approximately one quarter of the size of a traditional IKEA store, with 4,000 product lines on display and 1,800 available to take away on the same day.
Renowned for its iconic meatballs, the new store will also see the launch of a new food offer exclusive to IKEA Hammersmith, inspired by the retailer’s Swedish roots.
The Swedish Deli will serve hot and cold traditional Swedish delicacies, including Smörrebröd open sandwiches, Nordic Chicken Caesar and Swedish Mazarin.
Variations of IKEA’s traditional meatballs, including plant balls, which have just 4% of the carbon footprint of their meat equivalent, will also be available.
Not only will customers have the opportunity for dine-in and takeaway options, but the Deli – positioned on the edge of the store - will open at 8am on weekdays, one hour earlier than the store itself, to allow busy commuters to ‘grab and go’.
“As shopping habits evolve and city centres continue to be redefined in the wake of the pandemic, this new store format marks the next step in our business transformation as we strive to make IKEA more accessible, affordable and sustainable," explained Peter Jelkeby, Country Retail Manager and Chief Sustainability Officer at IKEA UK & Ireland.
“For the first time, Londoners will be able to take the tube to an IKEA store, pop in, grab a yellow bag and buy all the home furnishing accessories that make a house a home. They will also be able to explore the whole range, for delivery to a convenient collection point or directly to their home."
The store has been built with sustainability in mind. In addition to achieving a BREEAM ‘Outstanding’ rating, the store is easily accessible via public transport, being connected via four tube lines and served by 68 bus routes.
It will also feature a small circular hub, where customers will be able to access IKEA’s popular Buy Back service, enabling them to trade in selected used furniture for IKEA vouchers and purchase pre-loved items that can be taken home that day.
IKEA Hammersmith will be located within 'LIVAT Hammersmith’ - a new meeting place by Ingka Centres. Since acquiring the Kings Mall shopping Centre in 2019, Ingka Centres has begun the transformation of the space to a mixed-used destination, aimed at providing the people of Hammersmith with a place to come together, experience new things, eat and shop.
Customers will be able to shop at the IKEA Hammersmith store when it opens at 10am on Thursday, February 24, and 9am thereafter.
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