IKEA To Open New Store In Round Rock -- Third Texas Store

Furniture World Magazine

IKEA, the leading home furnishings retailer, announced plans for a store in Round Rock, TX, increasing the Swedish retailer’s growing presence in the Lone Star State. The proposed store, to be located north of Austin, in the City of Round Rock, will join IKEA stores in Frisco, TX, which opened earlier this month, and in Houston, TX, which opened in 1992 and moved into a new building last August. Pending approvals and permits, construction of the future IKEA Round Rock can begin in the new year, with an anticipated opening Spring 2007. IKEA plans to purchase, from Endeavor Real Estate Group, 21.5 acres at the southeastern corner of IH-35 and Chandler Road, making the store and its 1,100 parking spaces easily accessible to customers from throughout Central Texas. The 252,000 square-foot future IKEA Round Rock will reflect the same unique architectural design for which IKEA stores are known worldwide. “We are thrilled about entering Central Texas at this site in Round Rock where we can complement our Texas presence already established in Houston and Frisco,” said Doug Greenholz, IKEA real estate manager. “We are confident that IKEA Round Rock will allow us to be more convenient to existing customers while also introducing the unique IKEA family-friendly shopping experience to new customers throughout Central Texas.” Besides nearly 10,000 exclusively designed items, IKEA Round Rock will feature four model homes, 50 room settings, a supervised children’s play area, as well as a 250-seat restaurant serving Swedish specialties such as meatballs with lingonberries or salmon plates, as well as American dishes. Other family-friendly features will include a ‘Children’s IKEA’ area in the showroom, baby care rooms, preferred parking and play areas throughout the store. In addition to jobs created during the construction phase, approximately 250-300 coworkers would join the IKEA familywhen the new store opens. IKEA Round Rock will provide significant annual sales tax and property tax revenue for local governments andschools. “We also look forward to being a partner in the local community,” continued Greenholz. IKEA currently has more than 215 stores in 33 countries, including 24 in the U.S., where other stores being planned will be located in: Bolingbrook, IL; Brooklyn, NY; Canton, MI; Dublin, CA; Somerville, MA; Stoughton, MA; and West Sacramento, CA. Since its 1943 founding in Sweden, IKEA has offered home furnishings and accessories of good design and function, at low prices so the majority of the people can afford them. IKEA has been named – for two years in a row – to Working Mother magazine’s annual list of the “100 Best Companies for Working Mothers,” and this year to Fortune’s “100 Best Companies to Work For.” IKEA is recognized as a socially responsible company, and continuously supports initiatives that benefit causes such as children and the environment. To visit the IKEA Web site, please go to http://www.ikea-usa.com. For information about working at IKEA, please visit http://JobsAt.IKEA-usa.com.