IKEA coming to Colorado
Swedish furniture giant to build store eventually near Park Meadows mall
By John Rebchook, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Published September 10, 2008 at 9:08 a.m.
Photo by Brian Lehmann / The Rocky
Centennial Mayor Randy Pye said IKEA told him the store would draw from five states.
Photo by Paul Mcerlane / Bloomberg News
An IKEA staffer checks a kitchen display at the IKEA branch in Belfast, Northern Ireland, in 2007. The company's 10,000 exclusively designed items include sofas, bookcases, kitchen cabinets, beds and other furnishings.
IKEA, the wildly popular furniture retail giant from Sweden, at long last will open its first Colorado store in the Denver area.
It's just not quite sure when.
At a news conference Wednesday at Centennial City Hall, IKEA officials announced that after a year of negotiations, the company will build a 400,000-square-foot store on 13.5 acres north of the Park Meadows mall, west of Interstate 25.
The store will be painted the familiar blue and yellow of every IKEA store, whether in Beijing or Draper, Utah - the closest store to Colorado.
"IKEA officials told me this will draw from a five-state area," said Centennial Mayor Randy Pye, following the news conference at which the company had decorated a room with a handful of the 10,000 items it will sell.
IKEA spokesman Joseph Roth said the company has 75,000 customers in Colorado.
Founded in 1943 by Ingvar Kamprad in Sweden, IKEA boasts almost a cult following of its functional and affordable products. Its 10,000 exclusively designed items include sofas, bookcases, kitchen cabinets, beds, mattresses, office furnishings and textiles. It has 240 stores worldwide, including 35 in the U.S. Its free catalog is distributed to 200 million people worldwide.
"I think the cheapest thing we sell is a dog bowl for 49 cents," said Doug Greenholz, U.S. real estate manager for IKEA.
While the company has been negotiating with Paul Hogan of the landowner Miller Properties for a year, it has been looking at the Denver region for more than three years, Roth said.
But Roth and Greenholz said several steps must be completed before the 18-month construction can begin.
It's possible that construction would not begin for a "few years," Roth said. "But once we commit to a deal, we are committed."
The store will create 400 jobs at the store in addition to the 500 construction workers who will build it. Greenholz said almost all of the employees will be hired locally, although he said it is too early to submit applications.
"They didn't ask for any incentives," Pye said. "That's not how IKEA does business."
However, IKEA will meet with city officials to discuss how to pay for infrastructure improvements, he said.
Greenholz said the privately held company will not release how much it will cost to construct the building.
He said IKEA didn't hesitate to announce the new store at a time when everyone from consumers to politicians are worried about the sagging economy.
"The economy was not a factor," Greenholz said. "Because of our pricing, we aren't that concerned about where we are in the economic cycle. We are somewhat insulated from the vicissitudes of the economy."
Andrew Zuppa, corporate general manager of American Furniture Warehouse, the largest furniture retailer in the Denver area, said he doesn't see IKEA as competition.
"I don't think it will have any impact on our business," Zuppa said. "Our styles are completely different. The huge advantage we have is we buy for Colorado. They are a European company trying to sell globally, and they do a terrific job of doing that in cities that are far more urban. We have gotten away from assemble-it-yourself furniture. People just don't like it."
Current plans
* Where: 13.5-acre site west of Interstate 25 near Park Meadows, north of County Line Road in Centennial
* Size: 400,000 square feet with 1,700 parking spaces
* When: Unknown. The 18-month construction won't begin until the Swedish retailer buys the land, has construction drawings done and completes numerous public and private meetings. An Illinois distribution center also must be built to supply the Centennial store with merchandise.
* Features of the building: Almost 10,000 furniture items to sell, 50 room settings, three model home interiors, a supervised children's play area, a 350-seat restaurant that will serve Swedish specialties such as meatballs with lingonberries and salmon plates as well as American dishes
* Jobs created: 900 - 400 jobs at the store and 500 construction jobs
* Number of stores in the U.S.: Currently 35. But several stores are ahead of Centennial's in construction schedules, so the Centennial store might wind up the 39th or 40th in the U.S.
* Will there be another IKEA in Colorado? Not anytime soon
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September 10, 2008
9:50 a.m.
Suggest removal
Rdtrip2Europa writes:
It is ABOUT time! *rolls eyes* We'll forgive you for Draper if you build the store really soon!!!
September 10, 2008
10:01 a.m.
Suggest removal
Willy writes:
Wondeful - another place my wife can go to spend money on clutter :)
September 10, 2008
10:13 a.m.
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M2 writes:
If you're gonna build an IKEA... why not do it IN Denver? Why build it in Bumblefauk nowhere?
September 10, 2008
10:29 a.m.
Suggest removal
ikealover writes:
YES YES YES!!!!! That is the BEST news!! My prayers have been answered. Us Denverites have been waiting for years for Ikea to come here. My friends and I will all be there opening day!!!
September 10, 2008
10:50 a.m.
Suggest removal
joggle writes:
Finally! Unfortunately they only build 2-5 new stores in America per year. According to http://www.ikea-group.ikea.com/?ID=54... they have already drawn up their plans for 2009 with a new store in Tampa, FL and Charlotte, NC so I would guess we won't see a new store here until 2010. I guess we'll find out the details soon enough though.
On road trips I usually stop by an IKEA to pick up a few small pieces of furniture and lots of Swedish candy and am glad I'll finally be able to shop at one more frequently (I've been to the IKEA at SW Chicago, Cincinnati, and Round Rock, TX).
September 10, 2008
11:06 a.m.
Suggest removal
chickenlittle1234 writes:
Finally. I've been looking for over-priced and difficult-to-assemble furniture for a long, long time now.
September 10, 2008
11:13 a.m.
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blacksho89 writes:
Wow. Building it in Centennial, next door to Highlands Ranch.
Beigeville.
Beige furniture for beige people. I'm underwhelmed.
September 10, 2008
11:39 a.m.
Suggest removal
4gColoNative writes:
Oh good, another way for image-obsessed conspicuous consumers heavily in debt and a couple of paychecks away from foreclosure to spend too much money unnecessarily.
September 10, 2008
11:48 a.m.
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SheikYurBooty writes:
Why build 400,000 feet when there is so much vacant real estate?
September 10, 2008
11:57 a.m.
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WhadUsay writes:
That's all well and good but I want a Trader Joe's!!!!!
September 10, 2008
11:58 a.m.
Suggest removal
jamesdenver writes:
SheikYurBooty I agree. I wish communities would force new business to use and/or refurb existing buildings or properties that have gone under - rather than grading and paving vacant fields.
I don't say this for altruistic environmental reasons - but I find it hideous to see empty weed sprouting Sears and Best Buys that have moved on to "greener" pastures, and leave empty husks of buildings in our cities that sit there and rot - while gleaming new stores are built within a few miles of the decaying property.
james http://www.futuregringo.com
September 10, 2008
12:02 p.m.
Suggest removal
chickenlittle1234 writes:
WhadUsay -
Amen to that. Trader Joe's rocks. Quality and reasonable prices, now that's a concept.
September 10, 2008
12:18 p.m.
Suggest removal
collegegrad writes:
M2 -- Denver residents really wouldn't want an Ikea right in the city. The traffic problems associated with an Ikea store are a nightmare. That and the company would be hard-pressed to find 13 vacant acres zoned commercial in an area that would be hospitable to such a magnet store. Very few -- if any -- are located within the major city. Ikea purposely puts them as far out as they can because a) land is cheaper (cost-effectiveness is a big, big part of the business model) b) less complaints about the traffic it draws c) the suburban counties probably also offer better tax incentives. Nonetheless, parents of college-bound freshmen and poor tragically hip 20somethings rejoice.
September 10, 2008
12:34 p.m.
Suggest removal
peter303 writes:
Yeah. First a COSTCO on the edge of Denver (Hampden). no an IKEA. Whats left for total Californication is a Trader's Joe (great yuppie deli).
September 10, 2008
12:41 p.m.
Suggest removal
zivo24 writes:
I went to an Ikea for the first time in my life, in Sydney, Australia a couple years ago with my ex.
It was like being in a corn maize.
We couldn't find our way out and no matter which way you looked, everything looked just alike.
September 10, 2008
12:48 p.m.
Suggest removal
peter303 writes:
Trader Joes likes yuppie states like Colorado.
However I heard they were turned off by our prohibition laws.
TJ gets substantial revenue from wine sales. Wine is still prohibited in Colorado grocery stores.
September 10, 2008
1 p.m.
Suggest removal
zivo24 writes:
Cost Plus World Market is the west coast version of Trader Joes. They've got the same market wrapped up here.
And the liqour laws do allow one liquor license per business name...the Cost Plus in Cherry Creek has a wine shop that is one of the best around. Everything else in the store is crap..but the wine shop is primo.
September 10, 2008
1:01 p.m.
Suggest removal
GO_BUCKEYES writes:
isn't the sales tax lower in Centennial than it is in Denver? That would be a good enough reason for me not to build in Denver.
September 10, 2008
1:07 p.m.
Suggest removal
MileHighCritic writes:
Crapkea furniture. Cheaply made furniture for less
Traders Joe's would be a welcome addition in Colorado. I have been to Cost Plus World Market. No where near the selection at Trader Joe's.
September 10, 2008
1:32 p.m.
Suggest removal
Hambone writes:
and suburban women everywhere are able to take one less little helper to get through the day due to this news!!!
September 10, 2008
1:37 p.m.
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almostarmy2003 writes:
blacksho89 very funny
September 10, 2008
2:01 p.m.
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bjones73 writes:
wow...I just love how these discussion boards constantly bring out the positive people of the world.
(hint....sarcasm).
September 10, 2008
2:07 p.m.
Suggest removal
joggle writes:
zivo24: "We couldn't find our way out and no matter which way you looked, everything looked just alike."
Wow, a store that hands out maps to all their customers and has signs everywhere saying which way to the food court/exit and you couldn't find your way out? Dude, you totally should have done Boy Scouts or something as a kid.
September 10, 2008
2:14 p.m.
Suggest removal
ashlandbus writes:
"Cost Plus World Market is the west coast version of Trader Joes"
First, Cost Plus is NOTHING like Trader Joe's. Trader Joe's are much more like a grocery store.
Second, there are plenty of Trader Joe's in CA, OR, and WA (which, unlike CO, is the West Coast).
September 10, 2008
2:15 p.m.
Suggest removal
M2 writes:
collegegrad... fair enough.. but coming from Chicago and having to drive out in the middle of nowhere to IKEA just to load furniture then drive in heavy traffic back with all your purchases just stinks. IKEA delivers... but you'll have to give an arm and a leg.
September 10, 2008
2:42 p.m.
Suggest removal
danirobi writes:
I heard that Trader Joe's was coming to Colorado.
Loving the Ikea though...
September 10, 2008
2:55 p.m.
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Buckwheat writes:
OK.......Still waiting on my Cabela's........
September 10, 2008
3:49 p.m.
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rouxarts writes:
IKEA as the world's largest furniture manufacturer does more than most in choosing environmentally responsible measures including:
Replacing polyvinylchloride (PVC) in wallpapers, home textiles, shower curtains, lampshades, and furniture—PVC has been eliminated from packaging and is being phased out in electric cables.
Minimizing the use of formaldehyde in its products, including textiles.
Eliminating acid-curing lacquers.
Producing a model of chair (OGLA) made from 100% pre-consumer plastic waste.
Reducing the use of chromium for metal surface treatment.
Limiting the use of substances such as cadmium, lead, PCB, PCP, and AZO pigments.
Using wood from responsibly-managed forests that replant and maintain biological diversity.
Using only recyclable materials for flat packaging and "pure" (non-mixed) materials for packaging to assist in recycling.
Most recently, IKEA has begun charging for each plastic bag, while offering a paper bag or no bag for no extra cost. The IKEA restaurants also only offer reusable plates, knives, forks, spoons, etc.
Plus the IKEA shopping experience is fun !
September 10, 2008
3:58 p.m.
Suggest removal
4gColoNative writes:
And what happens to the
polyvinylchloride (PVC), formaldehyde, acid-curing lacquers, chromium metal surface treatment, cadmium, lead, PCB, PCP, and AZO pigments
in the *perfectly serviceable* furniture that people will throw out or give away just so they can replace it with trendy IKEA stuff?
September 10, 2008
4:33 p.m.
Suggest removal
Ginger writes:
Maybe all the folks from California who are yearning for Trader Joe's, In-n-Out Burger and all the rest of the "Californication" retail outlets should go back to CA now that housing prices out there are in the toilet.
September 10, 2008
5:39 p.m.
Suggest removal
gigi writes:
we whine about everything! i've been to ikea stores and it's very affordable. why not buy cheap furnitures and remodel every 2-5 yrs. who doesn't want to be able to afford new furnitures every year? with ikea in town...you actually can. it's all about saving as the economy is down the drain, but you want new things to make you feel better...with ikea in town...you actually can. wal mart's overrated, and ppl whine about it being built in their hood, but, i see ppl sneaking in to walmart when they also said they would never shop at wal mart. it's okay, it saves you money. colorado needs some excitement and new things. this is it! american furniture warehouse/target/wal mart, etc...they're all cheaply made/look cheap that doesn't last more than a year. it's surprising when they do, very few stuff. enjoy new changes in life and step into the future, not the 70's/80's anymore. lol
September 10, 2008
8:06 p.m.
Suggest removal
BrandiWine_84 writes:
chickenlittle1234 writes:
Finally. I've been looking for over-priced and difficult-to-assemble furniture for a long, long time now.
It is obvious that you have never bought from Ikea. Where are you getting your info? Please tell me where you can find similar products at better prices. And if you really think that their furniture is difficult to assemble, then you probably think tying your shoes is quite challenging as well. Good luck in life, I think you'll need it.
September 10, 2008
9:29 p.m.
Suggest removal
Rdtrip2Europa writes:
peter303 writes:
Trader Joes likes yuppie states like Colorado.
However I heard they were turned off by our prohibition laws.
TJ gets substantial revenue from wine sales. Wine is still
prohibited in Colorado grocery stores.
Yeah, actually that isn't true. Wine/spirits/beer over 3.2 can be sold in grocery stores (think Super Target on Colorado, the wine shop in Whole Foods off of Hampden, the wine shop in the Cost Plus in Cherry Creek). Just only in one location per corporatation.
September 10, 2008
9:49 p.m.
Suggest removal
chickenlittle1234 writes:
Brandiwine -
Thank you for the best wishes. I was restless all night, and then I read your post. I can sleep in peace now. Thank you.
Oh, by the way, I've shorted the stock.
September 11, 2008
12:58 a.m.
Suggest removal
jacka writes:
Hey IKEA, ask that goofy GOP mayor Randy Pye if he is a union monkey.
Thats right Mayor Randy Pye is in the pocket of the AFL-CIO and SEIU and AFSCME.
September 11, 2008
8:05 a.m.
Suggest removal
Rdtrip2Europa writes:
ssqured-- My heart goes out to your wife dude. Sounds like she should've dumped your angry, bitter, tired- ol'-sour-self decades ago!
Dude, get some therapy...
September 11, 2008
10:15 a.m.
Suggest removal
Ginger writes:
I looked at IKEA's website and it looks like they will give all the over-priced appliance dealers, especially Great Indoors, a run for their money. At IKEA you can buy a 25 cu. ft.,side-by-side, stainless steel refrigerator with ice and water dispenser for a mere $999, not the $2,000 or $3,000 fridges we are used to. Welcome to the real world of the consumer, IKEA!
September 11, 2008
10:50 a.m.
Suggest removal
dmacp writes:
The heck with Ikea, give me a Fry's
September 11, 2008
11:03 a.m.
Suggest removal
Blondo writes:
As for getting lost--the "Exits" as marked in the store do NOT take you out of the store in the quickest manner. Rather, they get you to the Exits, but only after going through as many of the display rooms as possible. As for being there on opening day--have fun. It will be the most miserable experience of your life--there is no room to move. If you happen to step off the "path" through the store to actually look at something, it is a joy trying to get back on to move through the store. It really brings out the best in people. You cannot turn around, you cannot get out. It is like cattle or sheep. This was my experience on a Saturday in a store that had been there for months--we should have known to turn back when we had to wait in line just to get in.
September 11, 2008
1:13 p.m.
Suggest removal
athought writes:
Ginger: Great Indoors is nothing more than Sears dressed up for yuppies. I like Ikea but looks like I'll be online ordering for a few more years.
September 11, 2008
3:13 p.m.
Suggest removal
justinco writes:
"Like so many others, people of Denver had become a slave to the Ikea nesting instinct."
"...Denver wasn't the only slave to nesting instinct. Denver people who used to sit in the bathroom with pornography, now they sit in the bathroom with their IKEA furniture catalogue."
"You buy furniture. You tell yourself, this is the last sofa I will ever need in my life. Buy the sofa, then for a couple years you're satisfied that no matter what goes wrong, at least you've got your sofa issue handled. Then the right set of dishes. Then the perfect bed. The drapes. The rug. Then you're trapped in your lovely nest, and the things you used to own, now they own you."
to paraphrase Fight Club
September 11, 2008
3:56 p.m.
Suggest removal
AussieElken writes:
I moved to Australia from Denver a couple of years ago and ended up working for IKEA and loving it. I miss Denver and America I can't wait to put in a transfer.
As for the one who went shopping in the Sydney store..yes, don't go there on the weekends since the average shopping time is 2 and a half hours but, hey you get a hot dog at the end.
In Sydney for getting out - if the customer acts distress enough I use my pass to get them out through the emergency exits.
September 11, 2008
4:48 p.m.
Suggest removal
4gColoNative writes:
A-E, Thanks for the post.
It is so funny and pitiful. People going shopping for entertainment ... getting trapped ... getting distressed.
It would be hilarious to look down on them from above. What a bunch of lemmings!
September 16, 2008
10:13 p.m.
Suggest removal
caseyc1an writes:
Ikea is long overdue! My hubby and I do ok but not great. Ikea is difinitely not for everyone but it works for our budget. Admittedly their furniture may not be the best (eventhough it looks good) but their everyday items are well worth it.
Also, Trader Joe's is nothing like Cost Plus World Market. Trader Joe's has way better prices and you can come out of there with a full week of grocery for way less than $100. Now if only Trader Joe's will open here, I'd be all set! :-D
September 30, 2008
11:35 p.m.
Suggest removal
mudshark writes:
I'm looking forward to Ikea opening. Unfortunately, their time frame is open at the moment. For those who think their stuff is shoddy, hard-to-assemble and expensive, I must disagree on all counts. I don't own a lot of furniture from Ikea, but what I do own was inexpensive, easy to assemble, and has lasted longer than a lot of other stuff I've bought in the past.
I only hope they've learned to anticipate the crowds they will attract. The first Ikea I visited has been re-built to make it larger and the other one I've been to had a very large parking lot, but it was always overflowing and hard to find a spot, at least on weekends when most people have time to go out of their way to a great store.
There's always stores like Lazy-boy for those of you who want to see really over-priced junk and avoid the crowds - I was in one yesterday and I was the ONLY customer in the store and a salesperson shadowed me the whole time I was browsing around.
Ikea is much more organized and has a better selection. You might not find that $1500 leather recliner there, but for the things they do offer, I haven't seen a better store.