Ikea coming to Jacksonville

[KenFSU]

When I worked in Lakeland, they used to promote that they were in the center of everything because there was something like 7 million people living within a 100-mile radius of that city.

Fun fact: For this very reason, Lakeland was briefly in the discussion during the 1970s as a potential home for an NFL franchise (as was a shared team between Jacksonville and Orlando, the Florida Suns).

[I-10east]

Many of the retailers that Jax don't get are too big for the market. However alot of other stores & restaurants that comes from west and north that heads to Northern Florida first. Like REI, and Academy. Just balancing out the 'we never get this & that' stuff.   

[thelakelander]

No balancing needed. Jax gets what a community its true size gets.  It is what it is. When places that aren't presently here deem the market is ready for them to expand and be successful in, they'll come.  In the meantime, we don't have to waste time and energy trying to figure out how to land something by seeing if people from Valdosta and Lake City will drive over an hour out of their way to help keep it open.

[I-10east]

^^^No argument here.

[simms3]

It's not just market size, either.  As has been touched on, it's tourism, it's disposable income, it's how disposable income is spent (some cities are just more fashion or design conscious than others while other cities are budget conscious no matter how much disposable income there is), it's trade area and local/regional competition, it's site selection if all of the other boxes are checked.

Honestly, if Jax were 2.5 million people in its MSA, maybe there just isn't a proper site for IKEA to settle on!  So many factors at play.

I think generally speaking, Jax is a small MSA that is too close to too many larger MSAs, and there isn't a lot of tourist or business/convention traffic, no sizable student population, and too much housing-backed wealth, which is shaky in NE FL (there isn't a lot of highly liquid wealth in the area, which is why there isn't much in terms of high end shopping, restaurants, or amenities).  The wealthy that do call Jax home have no problem traveling up to NYC or down to Miami for various things, and the lower/middle class aren't likely as great of target profile demographics for IKEA (there is a noticeable difference in the average Jax resident and the average middle/lower middle income resident of other metros, for instance).

Jax will get a Crate & Barrel before Ikea, but is still 5-10 years out from that.  Crate & Barrel is probably taking note of Nordstrom going in at SJTC, and they probably like the demographics and cotenancy there.  IKEA could give a shit about all that and wants space, high visibility, high centrality, and extremely good access with room to put in structured parking and easy access to all residents in a region.  JTB may not be the best corridor for them, but then where else do they go?  Where along 95?  Perhaps that site at University where the motel was demo'd?  Maybe not large enough and a reputable developer would need to come in and back the transformation of that intersection.

[edjax]

Not that I think they will come or really care quite frankly as would much prefer a Crate & Barrel. But if on 95 how about where the Bass Pro is going in or the World Golf Village intersection.

[thelakelander]

Honestly, if Jax were 2.5 million people in its MSA, maybe there just isn't a proper site for IKEA to settle on!  So many factors at play.

This is true. Macy's is a good example. The market is present but there are other factors at play.

[fsquid]

Memphis is announcing IKEA coming there tomorrow, so there goes the population argument.

[KenFSU]

Memphis is announcing IKEA coming there tomorrow, so there goes the population argument.

Surprising.

I know Nashville (a bigger, faster-growing MSA) has been pushing for an IKEA for the last few years without luck.

[fsquid]

Memphis is announcing IKEA coming there tomorrow, so there goes the population argument.

Surprising.

I know Nashville (a bigger, faster-growing MSA) has been pushing for an IKEA for the last few years without luck.

which makes it all more hilarious to me.

[thelakelander]

Memphis is announcing IKEA coming there tomorrow, so there goes the population argument.

What's the trade area?  Are there any other IKEAs within a 2 hour drive of Memphis?

[fsquid]

Memphis is announcing IKEA coming there tomorrow, so there goes the population argument.

What's the trade area?  Are there any other IKEAs within a 2 hour drive of Memphis?

nope, either Atlanta or St. Louis.

[Buforddawg]

On the whole, I'd rather get a Crate and Barrel over an Ikea.  While Ikea may have some good things, I think Crate and Barrel has higher quality items that you don't have to put together.

For disclosure purposes, I do have a wall of (Ikea) Billy bookcases with glass doors and they look great but the last time I went to Ikea nothing grabbed my attention and all I could think of was, "this would look better in someone's dorm room than my home."

[Ocklawaha]

Yeah, they seem to be shooting for a geographical-population balance in their markets before they work on density. There are 9 stores between Washington DC and Boston. Four in Florida; Tampa, Orlando, Sunrise and Miami, the Miami and Sunrise (Fort Lauderdale - West) stores are very close.

[jaxjags]

Lakelander,
Your comment:

"This is true. Macy's is a good example. The market is present but there are other factors at play."

Is quite true as it comes to Macy's. About a year ago I was in Savannah and a Macy's Manager who looks into site searches was having dinner beside me. He said Macy's wants to come. The big obstacle is they do not want to enter markets with one store (no more Savannah's, Tallahassee's ect.) and other than SJTC, there is no other suitable site. Orange Park  is full, Oak Leaf/RCMP not their kind of location. When a new mall was planned for St. John county, they were more interested. Many things come into play as you said.