Print

Email story

Comment

Email editor

IKEA coming to Tampa

Early Edition: The Swedish retailing giant makes the grand announcement this afternoon at the Tampa Convention Center.

By Jim Thorner
Published March 26, 2007

Swedish furniture fans rejoice: The Tampa Bay area is getting its first IKEA store as early as 2009.

The Swedish retailing giant makes the grand announcement this afternoon at the Tampa Convention Center.

IKEA is keeping the exact location under wraps until today's presentation. The presence of Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio at the announcement suggests it will be in the city limits.

The company has also scouted sites off Interstate 75 in Brandon for a store that could exceed 300,000 square feet, bigger than a Wal-Mart supercenter.

IKEA's product line hold nearly 10,000 items, though it's probably best know for its assemble-it-yourself wood furniture .

The Tampa store would be the chain's third in Florida and fifth in the Southeast. (Orlando and Fort Lauderdale won the IKEA lottery before Tampa)

At least 21,000 customers in the Tampa Bay area get its catalog, shop online or have made the trek to existing stores in places like Atlanta.

IKEA plans to start construction in the spring of 2008 and open in the summer of 2009.

[Last modified March 26, 2007, 12:15:24]