Inter Ikea Systems BV

Holiday sales in 2014 were strong, and enthusiastic shoppers helped Toys “R” Us and Ikea raise nearly $20 million for children's charities.

The Toys “R” Us annual fundraising campaign to benefit the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation was its most successful to date, raising $6.4 million and collecting more than 220,000 toys.

St. Louis -- Ikea plans to install solar energy panels on its 380,000-sq-ft. St. Louis store, due to open in fall 2015. Panel installation will begin this spring, with completion before the store’s opening, making the project the largest rooftop solar array in the State of Missouri.

The store’s 259,000-sq.-ft. solar array will consist of a 1.28-MW system, built with 4,085 panels, and will produce approximately 1,780,000 kWh of electricity annually for the store, the equivalent to reducing 1,227 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2).

CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa. - Ikea hasa proposed plans for a possible store in the city of Memphis, Tennessee that could increase the Swedish retailer’s presence in the Southeastern United States as its first store in the state.    The potential store could open as early as fall 2016 and is contingent upon receiving all governmental approvals.  

CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa. - Ikea plans to increase the solar array atop its store that opened eight years ago in Canton, Michigan. In September, IKEA began work on a 44,000-sq.-ft. expansion to the store, atop which new panels will be installed beginning spring 2015, with a completion by summer.

The IKEA Group has made its largest investment ever in renewable energy by buying a 165-megawatt wind farm in Cameron County, Tex.

IKEA has appointed Stefan Sjöstrand president of its Canadian organization after he has previously served as SVP, IKEA France.

With this move Sjöstrand is bringing global insights gathered from many years of working with IKEA to the Canadian market, as well as a proven track record of achieving business success through people development, according to the company. 

New York –- Online footwear retailer Zappos is ranked the simplest brand in the U.S. And that’s a good thing. According to the new Brand Simplicity Index ranking of U.S. brands from brand advisory firm Siegel & Gale, the top 10 list is dominated by retailers. The list includes Amazon.com at number two, Subway (#3), Pizza Hut (#4), Netflix (#5), Trader Joe’s (#6), Kroger (#7), McDonald’s (#8), Chipotle (#9) and Dunkin’ Donuts (#10).

Conshohocken, Pa. -- Ikea has begun significant demolition of a 30,145-sq.-ft. building adjacent to its Detroit-area store in Canton, Michigan. Razing of the vacant retail building will make room for the Swedish retailer’s planned expansion of its Canton location. The 311,000-sq.-ft. store, which opened June 2006, will grow nearly 44,000 sq. ft., with the project’s completion by summer 2015.