IKEA is finally setting up shop in London, but it will not look like the stores you visit in other cities.
The company is rolling out new "pick-up points" and the first will open in London by the end of this year at Southdale and Wellington Rd.
At the store customers can browse a showroom and buy selected products on-site. You can place orders online or at the store using provided tablets and pick up your purchase two days later. It will cost you a flat rate of $20 to have your order shipped to the "pick-up point."
"There will be 99 articles for immediate pick-up and takeaway and those 99 articles will be a mix between furniture and home furnishing accessories. It will be the most popular articles in this market, about 40% furniture and 60% accessories," President of IKEA Canada Stefan Sjöstrand tells BlackburnNews.com. "There will be a place where the customers can recognize the IKEA brand outside the building and when you come in to the building it will be like a big showroom where you can get inspired."
This is the most westerly location along the Hwy. 401, Hwy. 402 and Hwy. 403 corridor. It is expected the store will bring people from the Woodstock, Brantford, Chatham and Windsor areas to the city.
"Our demographics, our employment mix across diverse industry sectors, our household spending patters and other demographic characteristics make it attractive for marketers to test new products and concepts in London," notes President and CEO of the London Economic Development Corporation Kapil Lakhotia.
Mayor Matt Brown says IKEA approached the city several months ago about the store.
"It demonstrates a real confidence in our local economy, they are looking to get to market as soon as possible. But it also provides a valuable service, many Londoners have made that drive along the 403 and 401 up to Burlington and now they will be able to get those services right at home," says Brown. "If you look at the location I think it's very strategic."
IKEA will be announcing more "pick-up point" locations tomorrow.
It is expected the London store will employ 20 people to start.