News

New York City's 1st IKEA Store Opens in Brooklyn with Transit Options, Waterfront Esplanade & Sweeping Views

BROOKLYN, N.Y.-(Business Wire)-June 18, 2008 - IKEA, the world's leading home furnishings retailer, opened the doors of its Brooklyn store - the company's 1st in New York City - to customers at 9 a.m. EDT Wednesday, June 18, 2008. The 346,000-square-foot IKEA Brooklyn is located on 22 acres along the Erie Basin waterfront in Red Hook, south of the BQE/Gowanus Expressway and southeast of the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel. It is the Swedish company's 4th store and restaurant destination in the New York-New Jersey area, 35th in the U.S., and 281st worldwide. The store - with views of lower Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty - employs more than 500 coworkers and features 10,000 exclusively-designed items, a 450-seat IKEA Restaurant, 6.5 acres of waterfront esplanade, a supervised children's play area, and approximately 1,400 parking spaces. Other nearby IKEA stores in the area are in Elizabeth, NJ; Hicksville, NY; and Paramus, NJ.

"We are excited to bring the unique IKEA family-friendly shopping experience to Brooklyn and New York City," said Mike Baker, IKEA Brooklyn store manager. "The enthusiasm the IKEA Brooklyn coworker family feels about this big day and about opening the store will translate into excitement and a great shopping experience for customers, as well as a big boost to the Red Hook community."

Before the doors opened, Baker welcomed the community with a traditional Swedish log-sawing ceremony, bringing good luck to the new home and its guests. In addition to brief remarks by New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz and IKEA North America President Pernille Lopez, Baker was joined by New York City Councilwoman Sara Gonzales who raised the U.S. flag; Swedish Consul to the U.S. Ulf Hjertonsson who raised the Swedish flag; and local Red Hook community leaders who raised the New York flag.

Beginning grand opening day and lasting through Sunday, June 22, IKEA Brooklyn will recognize loyal, enthusiastic customers by giving away thousands of dollars in gift cards and merchandise.

— Sofa-get about it! - The first 35 adults (18 and over) in line at the IKEA Brooklyn grand opening on June 18, 2008 will receive a free EKTORP three-seat sofa.

— Take a Seat (And We Mean Take It!) - The next 100 adults (18 and over) in line at the IKEA Brooklyn grand opening on June 18, 2008 will receive a free POANG armchair.

— Pick a Card, Any Card - The first 2,500 people to visit IKEA Brooklyn on June 18, 2008 will receive a random prize envelope with IKEA Gift Cards ranging from $10 to $250, or vouchers for a free cinnamon bun, hotdog or frozen yogurt.

— You Say It's Your Birthday - Visitors who bring proof to IKEA Brooklyn on June 18 that it is their birthday will receive a $10 gift card.

— For the (Truly) Young at Heart - The first 100 children (under 18) in line at IKEA Brooklyn's grand opening on June 18, 2008 will receive a free FAMNIG heart-shaped cushion.

— Enter to Win When Entering our Home - From June 18 through June 22, 2008, visitors to IKEA Brooklyn may enter a drawing to win one of ten $1,000 IKEA Gift Cards. IKEA will match the prizes (a total of $10,000) by donating to Red Hook's Conover House, a supportive housing program that provides a stable, nurturing environment for families in need.

— Play Big and Eat Big (If You're Little!) - Entertainment for kids such as balloon artists and face-painting will take place at IKEA Brooklyn from June 18 through June 22. Kids also can enjoy a macaroni-and-cheese meal with a fountain drink for 99 cents.

— It's Easy Being Green - On Thursday, June 19 and Friday, June 20, the first 1,000 visitors each day will receive a three-inch tropical plant, representing IKEA roots planted in Brooklyn.

IKEA Brooklyn At-a-Glance

IKEA Brooklyn Offers...

— Low prices for well-designed, stylish, functional furnishings for every room in the home.

— 45 inspirational room-settings and three model homes reflecting a variety of living situations with creative design ideas that can be brought to life in any room in the home.

— More than 10,000 exclusively designed home furnishings ranging from beds, desks and sofas to cookware, pet products, and kitchens complete with cabinetry and appliances.

— Same-day shopping satisfaction with products in easy-to-transport flat-pack boxes that benefit the customer and the environment.

IKEA Brooklyn is a Fun Day Out for the Family with...

— Smaland, a supervised children's play area (for children who meet the 37"-54" height requirement) that replicates the look of a typical Swedish farmhouse and forest.

— Additional play areas throughout the store, offering activities for kids shopping with parents.

— A "Children's IKEA" area in the Showroom that also offers fun, interactive play.

— Attention-to-detail amenities such as family-friendly parking, strollers and baby care rooms.

— A 6.5-acre landscaped public, waterfront esplanade with sitting areas and one-of-a-kind views.

No Need to Shop on an Empty Stomach at IKEA Brooklyn ...

— Beginning June 19, the IKEA Restaurant will open 30 minutes earlier than the store for a full hot breakfast, including scrambled eggs, potatoes and bacon for only 99 cents.

— The 450-seat restaurant also offers lunch, dinner, snacks and dessert, with a diverse menu, including traditional Swedish specialties such as the popular IKEA Swedish meatballs, shrimp sandwiches and salmon platters, as well as pasta, chicken and vegetarian dishes.

— Menu choices for kids include a child's portion of Swedish meatballs or macaroni and cheese, while baby food, bottle warmers and bibs are available for even younger visitors.

— A Bistro near the store's exit serves hot dogs, cinnamon buns, frozen yogurt and beverages.

— The Swedish Foodmarket offers Swedish delicacies, treats, and even frozen Swedish meatballs (the same ones served in the store's Restaurant) to purchase and then prepare at home.

IKEA Brooklyn Shopping Conveniences...

— Customers can pick-up catalogs at the store and also receive help from a furnishings consultant.

— Measuring tape, pencils, store maps, yellow shopping bags and 3 types of carts are available.

— Courier, home-delivery, assembly, rent-a-truck, and zip-car services can be arranged at store.

IKEA Brooklyn is Accessible via...

— MTA bus routes B61 or B77 that will stop in front of IKEA Brooklyn.

— Subway lines from either Borough Hall & Court or Smith & 9th Street or 4th Avenue & 9th Street stations from where IKEA shuttles will transport visitors to IKEA Brooklyn.

— Water Taxi from Pier 11 in Lower Manhattan that will dock at IKEA Brooklyn.

— Brooklyn Battery Tunnel or BQE/Gowanus Expressways, exiting onto Hamilton Avenue.

With IKEA Brooklyn open, there are 281 IKEA stores in 36 countries, including 35 in the U.S., where new stores are being planned in: Charlotte, NC; Somerville, MA; and Tampa, FL. IKEA believes home is the most important place in the world and, since its 1943 founding in Sweden, has offered a wide range of home furnishings and accessories of good design and function, at low prices so the majority of the people can afford them. IKEA has been ranked in FORTUNE's annual "100 Best Companies to Work For" list (three years in a row), Working Mother magazine's annual list of "100 Best Companies for Working Mothers" (four years in a row) and Training magazine's annual "Top 100" ranking of companies that excel at human capital development (five years in a row). IKEA incorporates environmentally and socially responsible efforts into day-to-day business, and continually supports initiatives that benefit causes such as children and the environment. For information about IKEA, please go to www.IKEA-USA.com.

Send this news item to a friend.

Print This Page