Ikea and Costco in BA?

[LeGenDz]

Don't know the legitimacy of this but I heard some of the big wigs from IKEA were in town recently for a meeting. Has anyone heard or know anything relating to that?

[cannon_fodder]

IKEA would be a retailer worth courting to an interesting location. They often build a typical box design with surface parking, but they have experience occupying different spaces AND don't rely on location for their draw. Perfect anchor for an area where you want more retail and it could go somewhere neat and underutilized.

BUT... if there were Ikea reps in town, it escaped the attention of the Bring Ikea to Tulsa facebook group, which appears fairly active:
https://www.facebook.com/Bring-IKEA-to-Tulsa-Oklahoma-117490988267894/

As of the middle of last year, Ikea told the Tulsa World that there were no plans to open in Oklahoma:
http://www.tulsaworld.com/business/retail/retail-envy-what-popular-stores-would-you-like-to-see/article_6c1c7f15-9014-55ca-93fe-ff26b1a68e31.html


Fun fact of the day - within a 2 hour drive of Tulsa, there are more than 4 million people. Within a 2 hour drive of Oklahoma City, there are less than 3.5 million.

[swake]

IKEA would be a retailer worth courting to an interesting location. They often build a typical box design with surface parking, but they have experience occupying different spaces AND don't rely on location for their draw. Perfect anchor for an area where you want more retail and it could go somewhere neat and underutilized.

BUT... if there were Ikea reps in town, it escaped the attention of the Bring Ikea to Tulsa facebook group, which appears fairly active:
https://www.facebook.com/Bring-IKEA-to-Tulsa-Oklahoma-117490988267894/

As of the middle of last year, Ikea told the Tulsa World that there were no plans to open in Oklahoma:
http://www.tulsaworld.com/business/retail/retail-envy-what-popular-stores-would-you-like-to-see/article_6c1c7f15-9014-55ca-93fe-ff26b1a68e31.html


Fun fact of the day - within a 2 hour drive of Tulsa, there are more than 4 million people. Within a 2 hour drive of Oklahoma City, there are less than 3.5 million.

That and Tulsa is more middle distant between existing IKEA stores in Kansas City and Dallas.

[Ibanez]

Don't know the legitimacy of this but I heard some of the big wigs from IKEA were in town recently for a meeting. Has anyone heard or know anything relating to that?

Someone at work yesterday mentioned this. What they heard was that IKEA was looking at two locations. One was the SW corner of 121st & Memorial. The other was either the SE or SW corner of Hwy 75 & Hwy 67(151st South).

Neither seems ideal to me, but who knows?

[Townsend]

Someone at work yesterday mentioned this. What they heard was that IKEA was looking at two locations. One was the SW corner of 121st & Memorial. The other was either the SE or SW corner of Hwy 75 & Hwy 67(151st South).

Neither seems ideal to me, but who knows?

I've never been to IKEA.  Do they normally go for the "away from everything" locations?

[swake]

I've never been to IKEA.  Do they normally go for the "away from everything" locations?

My wife is a fan and I have been to too many of them. They mostly are suburban, but not way out. They generally are right on major highways in major shopping areas. Some have structured parking.

I've never seen one as far off from a highway as 121st and Memorial or on a minor highway like US 75 out in Glenpool.

[PonderInc]

The only Ikea's I've seen are adjacent to major highways.  In Pittsburgh, it's off of I-376.  In Dallas it's at the intersection of two major toll roads.  There's also an IKEA in between Denver and Colorado Springs on I-25.  South of SLC there's one on I-15.  In Houston, it's just outside the 610 loop on I-10.  In St Louis, it's on I-64.

I can't name one that's not visible from a major highway.  This make sense b/c they don't deliver.  You have to show up there and buy stuff from the store.  So it's more convenient for people from out of town if you are located on an Interstate.

[LeGenDz]

Someone at work yesterday mentioned this. What they heard was that IKEA was looking at two locations. One was the SW corner of 121st & Memorial. The other was either the SE or SW corner of Hwy 75 & Hwy 67(151st South).

Neither seems ideal to me, but who knows?

What were they saying about it? My experience was I overheard two people talking about their day and one mentioned he had just met with the Ikea people that had just flew into town and didn't want to butt in and start asking questions. Wish I stayed and got more information now.

[dbacksfan 2.0]

The only Ikea's I've seen are adjacent to major highways.  In Pittsburgh, it's off of I-376.  In Dallas it's at the intersection of two major toll roads.  There's also an IKEA in between Denver and Colorado Springs on I-25.  South of SLC there's one on I-15.  In Houston, it's just outside the 610 loop on I-10.  In St Louis, it's on I-64.

I can't name one that's not visible from a major highway.  This make sense b/c they don't deliver.  You have to show up there and buy stuff from the store.  So it's more convenient for people from out of town if you are located on an Interstate.

Same for Phoenix, San Francisco, LA and San Diego all are next to interstate freeways in heavily populated suburban areas. The only rural, so to speak, location is their warehouse and distribution center in Wheeler Ridge, CA between LA and Bakersfield.

[Townsend]

The only rural, so to speak, location is their warehouse and distribution center in Wheeler Ridge, CA between LA and Bakersfield.

Ah...Maybe our Governor has worked out another distribution center for us to replace the oil and gas jobs.

[dbacksfan 2.0]

Ah...Maybe our Governor has worked out another distribution center for us to replace the oil and gas jobs.

Could be if the are looking to expand in the central US. Their other locations are on the coasts, an in the central US Oklahoma and Kansas does have good rail line freight yards and close proximity to I-35 & I-29 which links with most east/west interstates. This could lead to an IKEA in Oklahoma.

[BKDotCom]

IKEA in NYC (Brooklyn)  may be the exception..   1 mile drive from highway.   It does have it's own ferry terminal though!
Google Map

[Ibanez]

What were they saying about it? My experience was I overheard two people talking about their day and one mentioned he had just met with the Ikea people that had just flew into town and didn't want to butt in and start asking questions. Wish I stayed and got more information now.

I didn't get in on the beginning of the conversation but it was one of those deals where someone I work with has a relative, I think it was a sister, who somehow knows a person involved in the location search. The discussion was going on in our break room when I walked in to put my lunch in the microwave. I asked what they were talking about, the person said Ikea was looking for a spot "around Tulsa" and when I asked where they mentioned the two locations I stated above.

Personally I don't get the love for Ikea. From what I have seen of their furniture it is barely a step above what you can buy at Target.

[TheArtist]

I love Ikea for my business.  Just last week I bought six metal and glass tables having two chairs each with wicker seats for $100 per table and chair set.  Best quality for the price I could find.  I needed cheap for the store but still something that was decently sturdy.  Hope to begin teaching art classes at DECOPOLIS next month kind of like Pinots Palette.   Found some great little store signage displays there that day as well and we have bought some display cabinets there for LOOK eyecare and eyewear.  I know lots of other businesses that also get things from Ikea for use in their stores. 

[TulsaGoldenHurriCAN]

I didn't get in on the beginning of the conversation but it was one of those deals where someone I work with has a relative, I think it was a sister, who somehow knows a person involved in the location search. The discussion was going on in our break room when I walked in to put my lunch in the microwave. I asked what they were talking about, the person said Ikea was looking for a spot "around Tulsa" and when I asked where they mentioned the two locations I stated above.

Personally I don't get the love for Ikea. From what I have seen of their furniture it is barely a step above what you can buy at Target.

Ikea is great for the selection and price point. There is a lot of mediocre stuff most won't like, but for everyone, there is something there you will like at a price point you won't find anywhere else.

They have some awesome lamps and good rugs at great prices. The quality is typically a bit better than Target, but for significantly cheaper. They certain things that look very good at reasonable prices that are really expensive at other places. An example is their patio furniture. The patio furniture at Lowes, HD or Target is expensive and mostly doesn't look great. Ikea has sleek looking patio furniture for really cheap. Nice, Sturdy, fold-out chairs for $15. Entire sitting sofa/table sets for $300-$500 that look better than the $600-$800 sets at Lowes or HD.

To be honest, having them a few hours away almost makes it better for those who have it as it keeps the furniture from being too common so it looks new/fresh. If you do have Ikea, it can stand out as nice and unique (depending on what you get). If we had one, everyone would have a lot of the same items and it would certainly lose some appeal to me.