The FINANCIAL — With company representatives, Memphis Mayor A.C. Wharton, Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell, local officials and community leaders on-hand, IKEA, the world’s leading home furnishings retailer, on December 10 officially broke ground on its future Memphis store. Until the future IKEA Memphis opens in Fall 2016 as the first store in Tennessee, customers can shop at the closest IKEA stores: Atlanta, GA; Frisco, TX; or St. Louis, MO; or online at IKEA-USA.com.
The 271,000 square-foot future IKEA Memphis, including approximately 1,000 parking spaces, will be built on 35 acres in the Wolfchase Corridor along the southwestern side of Interstate-40 near the Germantown Parkway exit. IKEA has contracted with Linkous Construction to build the project, and store plans reflect the same unique architectural design for which IKEA stores are known worldwide. In addition, IKEA will evaluate potential on-site power generation to complement its current U.S. goal of a renewable energy presence at nearly 90% of its U.S. locations, according to IKEA.
“This location will help bring the unique IKEA family-friendly shopping experience closer to many Memphis-area customers who currently can only shop at IKEA stores elsewhere or online,” said Lars Petersson, IKEA U.S. president. “The store also will attract new customers from throughout the Mid-South who value good design, good function and affordable prices, but have not had a chance yet to shop at IKEA.”
IKEA Memphis will feature nearly 10,000 exclusively designed items, 50 inspirational room-settings, three model home interiors, a supervised children’s play area, and a 300-seat restaurant serving Swedish specialties such as meatballs with lingonberries and salmon plates, as well as American dishes. Other family-friendly features include a ‘Children’s IKEA’ area in the Showroom, baby care rooms, play areas throughout the store, and preferred parking. In addition to the more than 500 jobs that are expected to be created during the construction phase, approximately 225 coworkers will join the IKEA family when the new store opens. IKEA Memphis also will provide significant annual sales and property tax revenue for local governments and schools.
Candidates interested in working at this employer of choice should begin looking online in the new year at IKEA-USA.com, where they will be able to apply for diverse positions available in home furnishings sales, interior decoration, customer service, safety and security, cashiers, maintenance, goods flow, receiving, warehouse and stock replenishment. Among its total coworkers, IKEA Memphis also will offer more than 50 food service opportunities in its Restaurant, Swedish Foodmarket, Café Bistro and coworker cafeteria.
Since its 1943 founding in Sweden, IKEA has offered home furnishings of good design and function at low prices so the majority of people can afford them. There are currently more than 370 IKEA stores in 47 countries, including 41 in the U.S. IKEA has been included in rankings of “Best Companies to Work For” and, as further investment in its coworkers, has raised its own minimum wage twice in two years. IKEA incorporates sustainability into day-to-day business and supports initiatives that benefit children and the environment. For more information see IKEA-USA.com, @IKEAUSA, @IKEAUSANews, or IKEAUSA on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Pinterest.
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