Ikea’s Oxford Street Store Finally Opens Its Doors This Week
To many, the idea of lugging a flatpack desk through London’s busiest shopping street, or on to the Central Line, might sound almost as much hassle as actually assembling it. But Ikea’s boss is confident that the proposition will work as the Swedish furniture giant opens the doors to its new Oxford Street store on May 1, finally filling the vast retail void left by the collapse of Topshop more than three years ago.
According to The Times, Peter Jelkeby, Ikea’s UK and Ireland chief executive, insists the mix of showroom space, takeaway items and home delivery services will appeal to shoppers in central London. “We are confident in the concept,” he said, adding: “It’s about seeing the products, speaking to staff, and getting ideas — then either buying a few things to take home or placing an order for delivery.”
The three-storey store is opening 18 months later than planned, having faced delays due to a basement water leak and “unexpected conditions” during renovation. It will showcase 6,000 items, with 3,500 available for immediate takeaway, while bulkier purchases such as sofas or wardrobes can be home-delivered or sent to other stores for pick-up via click-and-collect. The biggest items available to carry out will be a Micke desk and a rollpacked mattress.
The store is similar to its Hammersmith site, a smaller format that opened in 2022 as part of a trial. Previously inner-city customers had to trek out to Croydon, Wembley or Greenwich for the traditional warehouse experience. As The Times reports, Ikea is betting on the power of a high street presence as it continues to expand its city-centre strategy, which includes stores opening in Brighton, Harlow, Chester and Norwich before the end of the year.
The group has 21 full-size stores and one city store in the UK. “We know that if you ask our customers, they would say to us, they want Ikea nearer,” Jelkeby said, hinting there could be more store openings in the pipeline. “We think [our] physical presence doesn’t necessarily have to be big stores, it can be smaller ones.”
Launching a large retail operation in central London comes with security risks. Retail crime remains a big concern in the capital, with popular crowded locations particularly vulnerable. Ikea said the Oxford Street site would have one entrance and one exit to manage crowd flow and deter theft. Tills will be entirely self-service, accepting both cash and card. The store can accommodate up to 2,500 customers at once, staffed by about 130 workers per shift.
As reported by The Times, Jelkeby said he took the risks “seriously” and had invested in extra security and in-store staff training. It has a dedicated risk team working in tandem with local authorities to handle incidents safely. Despite these challenges, Jelkeby is bullish about Oxford Street, where local authorities are trying to revive the area’s fortunes.
New pedestrianisation plans, a crackdown on the scourge of “American candy stores” and a broader regeneration push are starting to show signs of progress. “The overall direction of Oxford Street, more pedestrian possibilities, of course it’s going to help the whole experience,” he said.
Inside the new store, there will be three “curated shops” created by Londoners to “reflect and celebrate the character and diversity of the city’s residents”. Ikea said its “roomsets”, the spaces in all of its stores that show complete rooms put together, have been created with “real people” who live in London. They include set-ups for working from home and running a small business, inspiration for properties with period features, ideas for basement rooms with little natural light, and designs for balconies.
In a global first for the company, the store will feature a live studio with broadcast capabilities, enabling it to host events such as cooking demonstrations. A 130-seat Swedish deli will allow visitors to dine “affordably” on dishes including its famous meatballs. The four upper floors of the building, owned by Ikea’s parent Ingka Group, have been leased as office space to other tenants.
The Oxford Street store is a significant milestone for Ikea, as it continues to adapt to changing consumer habits and preferences. As The Times notes, the company’s investment in the store is a vote of confidence in the future of Oxford Street, and a sign that the retailer is committed to providing customers with a unique and engaging shopping experience.
Whether flat-pack desks will start appearing on the Central Line remains to be seen. But for now, Ikea’s new landmark store represents a hopeful sign that Oxford Street may finally be crafting a comeback. As reported by The Times, this development has been covered extensively in the news, highlighting the retailer’s strategic expansion plans.
Source: The Times – Ikea’s Oxford Street store finally opens its doors this week – https://www.thetimes.com/business-money/companies/article/ikeas-oxford-street-store-finally-opens-its-doors-this-week-6qbnrvl6n
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