IKEA has today opened the first of three new format small stores in Harlow, Essex, with two more planned to open in Norwich and Chester this year.
The new retail park locations are designed to offer a simpler, faster shopping experience for customers, as part of IKEA’s strategy to be closer to where people live, work and shop.
The opening of IKEA Harlow was marked with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by Chris Vince, MP for Harlow, and Councillor Dan Swords, the Leader of Harlow Council, as well as the store’s 40-strong team. The doors were then opened for the first customers to experience this brand-new format, with "a compact layout that is easy to navigate and designed for everyday convenience".
In IKEA small stores, customers can explore roomsets and take home a wide range of furnishings and small pieces of furniture the same day. The stores feature a curated showroom, seasonal collections, and access to IKEA’s 12,000-strong product range, which can be delivered directly to the home or collected from the store with free next-day collection.
Along with the option to buy pre-used items for store credit, planning services for kitchens and bedroom storage are also available, with a team of dedicated staff on hand to assist customers. Visitors can also enjoy a selection of Swedish food to eat in or take away.
Peter Jelkeby, CEO and CSO, IKEA UK and Ireland, says: “The opening of IKEA Harlow marks an exciting milestone as we explore new ways to bring IKEA closer to our customers. We are opening our doors just over 100 days after acquiring the lease to the site, having made use of the existing structure to get our store ready at pace.
“By continuously reviewing and adapting our store formats, we aim to offer a more personalised and accessible retail experience. These new small-format stores fit seamlessly into our wider omnichannel strategy, ensuring our physical and digital channels work together to meet the diverse needs of our customers.
“We’re thrilled that customers in the Harlow area can now conveniently drop into our retail park store – whether they’re looking for home furnishing inspiration, expert planning services, or our iconic meatballs – and we look forward to bringing this new offering to Norwich and Chester very soon.”
The opening of IKEA Harlow forms part of a landmark year for IKEA’s UK expansion. IKEA is set to open a further two Plan and Order Points in Dundee and York, small stores in Norwich and Chester, and a new city store in Brighton, having already opened IKEA Plan and Order Point Hull and a city centre store on London’s Oxford Street this year.
