Ikea U.S. goes West to expand Planning Studio concept
Ikea is continuing its push to be more accessible and convenient to customers by opening new store formats.
The Swedish furniture giant is expanding its Planning Studio format in the Los Angeles area, opening a, 8,000-sq.-ft. location at Long Beach Towne Center, Long Beach, Calif., on Aug. 29. A second outpost, at Westfield Santa Anita Shopping Mall, Arcadia, Calif., will open on August 31st.
The two new locations are the first Ikea Planning Studios on the West Coast. They join four full-size Ikea stores in the greater Los Angeles market.
The studio concept is based on extensive market research to understand consumers, what logistical barriers they face, how they like to shop, how they live at home, and more, according to the company.
Ikea Planning Studios offer customers the chance to book appointments and get support from professional design specialists with planning and ordering home furnishing solutions that require a bit more help, such as kitchens, bedrooms and bathrooms. No products are available to take home. Instead, customers can order items for delivery to their home or another location.
The all-new Planning Studios in Arcadia and Long Beach will allow customers to meet with professional consultants who can help them optimize their living space,” said Gustavo Tinajero, Greater Los Angeles Market Area Manager at IKEA U.S. “With full-service delivery, this is a new, intimate experience that’s uniquely IKEA and uniquely L.A. We are thrilled to be opening the first IKEA planning studios on the West Coast, continuing to create customer meeting points that are more accessible and convenient to the many people of the L.A. market while continuing to offer smart and affordable home solutions.”
In addition to the Planning Studio concept, Ikea is also opening more traditional stores — but with a smaller footprint — in city centers. It unveiled its first U.S. smaller-store concept in January 2021, at Rego Center shopping mall in Queens, New York. The 115,000-sq.-ft. store is about half the size of an average Ikea and offers thousands of items that customers can purchase on-site and take home. The larger furniture items on display can be ordered for home delivery.
Ingka Group (Ingka Holding B.V. and its controlled entities) is one of 12 different groups of companies that own and operate Ikea retail under franchise agreements with Inter Ikea Systems B.V. Ingka Group has three business areas: Ikea Retail, Ingka Investments and Ingka Centres. Ingka Group is a strategic partner in the Ikea franchise system, operating 389 Ikea stores in 32 countries, including 52 retail locations in the U.S.