Ikea to open Oxford Street store in May
The brand-new city centre store will span three floors of the seven-storey building, comprising the ground and two lower ground floors, with a retail space of 5,800 square metres
Ikea has revealed that it will open the doors of its Oxford Street store on 1 May following an extensive environmental upgrade of the Grade II listed building in central London.
The new Oxford Street store will offer the traditional “Ikea experience”: a showroom packed with roomsets, a market-hall filled with affordable home furnishings accessories, planning appointments and a Swedish Deli.
The brand-new city centre store will span three floors of the seven-storey building, comprising the ground and two lower ground floors, with a retail space of 5,800 square metres.
The store’s opening follows a three-year renovation, which included complex work to enhance environmental performance whilst preserving the building’s heritage features. In addition to the Ikea store, the building will accommodate three other retail outlets and offer four floors of office space.
The upgrade included replacing traditional fossil fuel gas-fired boilers with energy-efficient air source heat pumps, installing secondary glazing for improved insulation, carrying out cleaning and restoration of the building’s historic façade, and a lighting scheme to illuminate the building at night.
Peter Jelkeby, CEO and chief sustainability officer, Ikea UK said: “Whether a local Londoner or a tourist passing through, Ikea Oxford Street aims to inspire home dreams for everyone – offering beautifully designed, functional furnishings at prices affordable for as many people as possible, ensuring visitors leave with ideas and solutions that make everyday life at home a little better.”
Upon entering the ground level, visitors will step into a “London-inspired space” alongside curated shops co-created with Londoners to reflect the city and Ikea’s character and style.
Taking the escalator one floor down, customers will discover roomsets as well as a specially designed home planning hub offering one-to-one design consultations with Ikea home furnishing experts.
The floor is also home to the 130-seater Swedish Deli, where visitors can take a break to eat dishes such as the retailer’s signature meatballs served with mashed potatoes, lingonberry jam and cream sauce or grab a hot dog.
On the lowest floor in the market hall customers will find a selection of 3,500 affordable home furnishing accessories and small furniture available for immediate purchase. The affordable range spans from everyday essentials to Ikea classics. A compact self-serve area houses smaller pieces of furniture for customers to take home.
Jelkeby said: “We have worked carefully to ensure we maintain the character of this historic building whilst creating a modern retail environment for customers to explore and be inspired. London is an iconic shopping destination, and we are thrilled to now have a home in its centre.
“Ikea Oxford Street’s location complements our network of stores in London – and beyond – and allows us to be closer to where our customers live, work and shop, while importantly being easily accessible by foot or public transport. We look forward to welcoming you in.”
