Swedish home furnishings chain IKEA will open one of its small format “Plan & Order” stores in Arlington this summer.
The store, at 1201 S. Hayes Street in Pentagon Centre, won’t have inventory for sale (and so nothing to try to stuff in the SUV). Instead, customers can meet with IKEA employees who help plan room needs and order the furnishings for delivery.
Ikea said it is most useful for furnishing needs that require more help, like kitchens and bathrooms.
“We are on a journey to bring the IKEA experience closer to our customers in city centers,” said Javier Quinones, IKEA U.S. chief executive.
IKEA’s closest D.C.-area stores currently are at Potomac Mills in Woodbridge, Virginia, and in College Park, Maryland.
“The plan and order point concept has been created with the unique needs of local consumers in mind, from proximity to public transportation and delivery and assembly options, to the opportunity for affordable design services,” said IKEA U.S. market manager Raquel Ely.
IKEA only recently rolled out an e-commerce platform selling furniture and accessories online. Its e-commerce sales grew sharply at the onset of the pandemic.
For years, the IKEA catalog was one of the most anticipated publications for apartment dwellers, homeowners and college dorm kids. At the catalog’s peak in 2016, 200 million copies were distributed in 69 versions and 32 languages. IKEA ended its print catalog distribution in 2021 after 70 years.
