Ikea coming to Jacksonville

[fsujax]

I am guessing south...near I-95 and St Johns County line near the new 795 extension.

[jaxdan3]

Ikea is building a store in Memphis and they have an even smaller MSA than Jax.

[thelakelander]

This is true jaxdan3!

40 (US ranking)  Jacksonville MSA   1,419,127 (2014 population)   +5.46% (2010-2014 growth rate)
41 (US ranking)  Memphis MSA      1,343,230 (2014 population)   +1.39% (2010-2014 growth rate)



Soon

[ProjectMaximus]

Regency? 

[thelakelander]

Umm.....



no

[MusicMan]

I'm surprised IKEA has not developed a smaller store concept for smaller markets. I'm convinced the Jacksonville market could support an IKEA store of some size, maybe not the gigantic store like the one in Orlando, but a profitable one nonetheless.

[JaxJersey-licious]

Here's a hint. If things materialize they won't be downtown....

Well that would be a shame because I think an Ikea in La Villa or Mixon Town would have been perfect. Easy regional access by Interstate, cheap land, lots of empty old warehouse space that could be converted into a store, tax incentives, and nearby available workforce would be their's for the taking.

Think the location and reputation of the area would a turn-off for Ikea? Look at their super-successful stores in Elizabeth, NJ and Brooklyn. The Jersey store is by an isolated noisy freight terminal by the airport surrounded by more abandoned shipping containers that households but has great Turnpike access. The Brooklyn store is in a gritty mixed-income industrial part of Red Hook with regular ferry service.

Both stores were catalysts for other retail and in the case of Red Hook's Ikea really turn around  the perceptions of that neighborhood making it one of Brooklyn's trendier and more desirable areas.

[ProjectMaximus]

Man, Ennis, you waste no time in making things happen!

http://jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=546277

[thelakelander]

Ha. I know the location. However, I going to let the chamber have their day!

[brainstormer]

I thought you all were kidding. Landing an IKEA is something I didn't think would ever happen. Great news for our area and it will certainly attract people from Southeast GA as well as Northeast FL and get them to spend money here rather than in Orlando.

[johnnyliar]

It's gotta be Town Center or RCMP.

[vicupstate]

This is surprising. It wasn't THAT long ago that they opened in Atlanta.

[mtraininjax]

Where's Duval Dude? Can he eat his words?

Great to hear for Jacksonville. Our Pro Football team may suck, but at least we have an IKEA!

[blizz01]

Is the Bass Pro Shops still a go?  Seems like that would be an option (Duval/St. John's line)

[pierre]

This is pretty cool. I know Ikea is not everyone's cup of tea but I enjoy stopping at the Atlanta location when I am there.