Ikea Winnipeg | Completed [Archive]

bc2mb

Jan 30, 2007, 2:09 PM

From Tuesday's Winnipeg Sun:

Winnipeg is on IKEA's radar, says a prominent local property developer.

Sandy Shindleman says the retail real estate industry is buzzing that the Swedish furniture giant will open a Winnipeg store in 2009 or 2010.

Citing reliable sources from the International Council of Shopping Centre winter conference, Shindleman says Winnipeg is next or second-next for new stores coming to Canada -- in Halifax and Winnipeg.

"I think in that order," he added. "The industry's talking about the fact we're finally on the radar."

A company spokesman confirmed IKEA has expansion plans for Canada, but Winnipeg is not in them.

"It is just a rumour," Cass Hall said of talk of a new store here.

"For now we don't have any plans for Winnipeg we can discuss right now."

IKEA turns 30 this year and is growing as a company. Hall said among its first new moves in Canada will be to expand its Ottawa store.

Winnipeggers are some of the best and most loyal IKEA mail-order customers in Canada, yet have long felt inferior for not having a storefront outlet.

FEASIBILITY STUDY

Their hopes were raised when IKEA conducted a feasibility study a few years ago on the merits of doing business here. At the time, Winnipeg did not have the magical one-million population the company says on its website it requires.

Robert Warren, a retail professor at the University of Manitoba, doubts IKEA will open a store here. The city and its catchment area cannot support the size of big box -- about 200,000 square feet -- IKEA is building now, he said.

"That store has got to do $33 (million) or $35 million in sales," he said. "If you go to their website you will see they never go into a market of less than a million people ... unless they're coming up with some new format.

"I don't think they'd come here in a million years. It's not the first time I've heard 'reliable sources say.' "

But Warren admitted he could be wrong and suggested IKEA may be moving into second-tier markets the way major retailers Wal-Mart and Superstore have done. Both Halifax and Winnipeg are considered secondary retail markets, he said.

Shindleman, whose company counts retail giants such as Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Best Buy, Old Navy and Starbucks among its clients, acknowledges the news may be speculation right now, but believes IKEA will find a home here.

"I always knew it would happen, but I wondered if I would still be in business," he said. "I thought I might be retired."

The president of Shindico Realty Inc. said an IKEA store, which needs hectares of space for customer parking and highway access for deliveries, would likely set up shop in southeast or southwest Winnipeg.

"There's quite a few choices for them," he said, noting he'd be surprised "to see it opening before 2009."

rgalston

Jan 30, 2007, 2:15 PM

The only thing that makes me roll my eyes more than "will NHL hockey come back to Winnipeg" discussions, is "will IKEA come to Winnipeg" discussions.

Greco Roman

Jan 30, 2007, 3:02 PM

The only thing that makes me roll my eyes more than "will NHL hockey come back to Winnipeg" discussions, is "will IKEA come to Winnipeg" discussions.

I don't understand why the media wants to get people's hopes up, and then stomp on them like a cheap cigarette. It's quite pathetic on their part.

If it happens, it happens. If it doesn't, it doesn't. C'est la vie.

ExcaliburKid

Jan 30, 2007, 3:16 PM

Judging by what happened to the last soul who posted a thread about Ikea, I would say some people are starting to tread on thin ice....

bc2mb

Jan 30, 2007, 3:44 PM

well, it was in the paper -- that's the only reason why I posted it.

IKAN104

Jan 30, 2007, 4:05 PM

I don't understand the part about needing a million population. Edmonton had an IKEA long before it hit a million in population.

Kirk

Jan 30, 2007, 4:14 PM

I don't understand why the media wants to get people's hopes up, and then stomp on them like a cheap cigarette. It's quite pathetic on their part.

If it happens, it happens. If it doesn't, it doesn't. C'est la vie.

It sells papers. It's like a free sales generator that they can only whip out about once a year. Certainly the Sun is not above such crap.

http://www.fourteenballstoy.co.uk/flogger350x450.jpg

1ajs

Jan 30, 2007, 4:24 PM

bahaha not this stupid talk again last year we deceded ikea was noting but crap

freeweed

Jan 30, 2007, 4:37 PM

I don't understand the part about needing a million population. Edmonton had an IKEA long before it hit a million in population.

IKEA used to build much smaller stores. These days, they're only doing these huge 2 storey monsters that make a Home Depot look tiny by comparison. Look up "big box" in the dictionary, and you'll find a picture of IKEA.

It's always surprised me that Winnipeg didn't have an IKEA. Not to put too fine a point on it, but Winnipeg is the perfect market for their product (as evidenced by the huge catalog sales they do). As 1ajs says, though, much of their merchandise isn't exactly "quality", so it all depends on what you're looking for in furniture. It's a neat store to shop in, but 99% of their stuff is, shall we say, "garbage".

To emphasize this, I do a lot of garage sailing in the summer, and since moving to Calgary, I've seen a HUGE amount of IKEA stuff at garage sales. People don't tend to hang on to this stuff for very long - read into that what you will.

1ajs

Jan 30, 2007, 5:30 PM

IKEA used to build much smaller stores. These days, they're only doing these huge 2 storey monsters that make a Home Depot look tiny by comparison. Look up "big box" in the dictionary, and you'll find a picture of IKEA.

It's always surprised me that Winnipeg didn't have an IKEA. Not to put too fine a point on it, but Winnipeg is the perfect market for their product (as evidenced by the huge catalog sales they do). As 1ajs says, though, much of their merchandise isn't exactly "quality", so it all depends on what you're looking for in furniture. It's a neat store to shop in, but 99% of their stuff is, shall we say, "garbage".

To emphasize this, I do a lot of garage sailing in the summer, and since moving to Calgary, I've seen a HUGE amount of IKEA stuff at garage sales. People don't tend to hang on to this stuff for very long - read into that what you will.

lol ya

h0twired

Jan 30, 2007, 6:00 PM

I don't understand the part about needing a million population. Edmonton had an IKEA long before it hit a million in population.

IKEA was a much smaller company in the early 80s.

Also the original IKEA in Edmonton was in the WEM and one could justify that there would be quite a bit of tourism business going to that location just because of the mall.

The new IKEA in Edmonton wasnt built until Edmonton (and surrounding areas) hit one million people.

ibz

Jan 30, 2007, 6:42 PM

IKEA was a much smaller company in the early 80s.

Also the original IKEA in Edmonton was in the WEM and one could justify that there would be quite a bit of tourism business going to that location just because of the mall.

The new IKEA in Edmonton wasnt built until Edmonton (and surrounding areas) hit one million people.

Actually the original IKEA was in SE Edmonton, on 50st and Sherwood Park Freeway (Where the purple UofA Bard building is now). Ikea has been in Edmonton since 1979 according to their website, didnt go to WEM until the mid 80s.

Coldrsx

Jan 30, 2007, 6:46 PM

^and dont forget they moved to whitemud and gateway blvd mid 90's when we were far under 1mil also....but economics have changed yall.

oh and ikea builds 300,000sqft stores now, not 200.

IntotheWest

Jan 30, 2007, 8:23 PM

^Unless someone can find the "magic 1 million" number on their website - it is complete bogus. In fact, technically both Edm and Cgy new ikeas were built before officially hitting that number.

Regardless, as I pointed out on one of the other many Ikea coming to Winnipeg threads, there have been several built in the last year in Scandinavia and Russia with similar or smaller pops than the Peg.

http://www.ikea-group.ikea.com/corporate/about_ikea/ikea_group_stores.html

Someone in the Peg should write the Sun back - and call this guy on shoddy journalism. First, he gets in touch with a company spokesman, but then gets that stupid 1 million figure from a retail professor at the U of M? And that dude misses the size of the stores by about 125,000 sq ft???

EDIT: I looked this up before...so I did more research than the guy that wrote the article - send this to him to follow-up:

"As well, Ikea has opened recently (2005/2006) in less populated places than Winnipeg:

Amersfoort - 134k.
Kalmar - 230k (in county)
Haparanda (Norrbotten Country - 258k) - the "northernmost" Ikea (65.50 N opened Nov, 2006)"

NOW stop creating new threads on Winnipeg and IKEA ;)

bc2mb

Jan 30, 2007, 8:27 PM

Greco Roman

Jan 30, 2007, 8:36 PM

Never mind Winnipeg; what about Halifax? For hypothetical purposes, let's just say that this rumor is true. The metro Halifax region is around what, 300,000 people? The entire population of Nova Scotia is just under a million people. If the million magic mark is so prevelant in IKEA's requirments, how does Halifax fit into this?

There seems to be some fibbing on someone's part, either on IKEA's part or from someone else. Either way, I 100% agree with Kirk; the media feeds on this kind of opportunity, and we keep buying into it.

bc2mb

Jan 30, 2007, 8:45 PM

I wonder if they figure a Halifax store would serve all of Atlantic Canada... otherwise I don't see the logic in that either.

Habanero

Jan 30, 2007, 9:11 PM

That is so funny. I had no idea Winnipeg didn't have an Ikea.

As far as the million mark, Edmonton and Calgary had theirs built years ago when they were around half a million. Plus the fact that they are considering Halifax, which is well under a million makes me think the million people mark is something made up.

Why is it Winnipeg never had one? Calgary got an Ikea 25 years ago??

harls

Jan 30, 2007, 9:36 PM

Why is it Winnipeg never had one? Calgary got an Ikea 25 years ago??

Maybe the folks at Ikea are afraid that the people of Winnipeg know the concept of 'value'? :shrug:

Western Spaghetti

Jan 30, 2007, 10:55 PM

Maybe the folks at Ikea are afraid that the people of Winnipeg know the concept of 'value'? :shrug:

Hmmm, somehow, I doubt that's the reason. I'm not the biggest fan of Ikea, but you can also get some good deals there if you know what to look for.

ibz

Jan 30, 2007, 11:53 PM

It wasn't until the last couple years that they started opening Ikeas in the US (and I remember reading something about them not wanting to compete in the furniture market there) so Im sure there are a number of reasons why they havent opened one in Winnipeg yet that have nothing to do with the population. Pretty much every piece of Ikea furniture I have is broken, the only real reason to go there is for cheap hotdogs and meatballs, so Im not sure what all the fuss is about in not having one.

newflyer

Jan 31, 2007, 2:59 AM

bahaha not this stupid talk again last year we deceded ikea was noting but crap

I agree completely!!... I live in Calgary and don't and would not shop at Ikea. Its crappy lowend unassembled furniture.. why does Winnipeg care...

Simple.. because Winnipeg wants to be in the big leagues.. even if its lowend crap.

Eventhough Calgary got its store when it was below 800,000 people as did Edmonton, Winnipeg is not so fortunate. It seems the requirements has been increased by the Ikea location desision makers.

Its no big loss... I'd much rather concern my time with development of the local economy and the entrepenueral factors which build the small and medium size business sector. Build the economy and make the city stronger.

I am sure a unintentional result will be an attrcation of more large big box retailers .. which may eventually include Ikea. It won't make one bit of difference to me.. I like quality furniture.

Only The Lonely..

Jan 31, 2007, 5:20 AM

I think we talked about this in the 'old' IKEA thread, but I don't see any positives in IKEA coming to the city.

Those stores are a celebration of urban sprawl and do nothing but to promote a throw-away / car dependent lifestyle.

As a city that should be working hard to curb sprawl, we can consider ourselves lucky not to have another big box power centre to compete with downtown.

Surrealplaces

Jan 31, 2007, 5:43 AM

I think we talked about this in the 'old' IKEA thread, but I don't see any positives in IKEA coming to the city.

Well if you've never had one, then you wouldn't know what the positives were.
There are small independant furniture stores in Calgary as well, with the quality ranging from crappy to very high quality. Stores like Ikea promote sprawl -and I don't argue that they don't- but you still get a wide variety of stuff at an affordable price. It doesn't matter where you live, you get what you pay for, and unfortunately the small downtown furniture stores are a thing of the past or soon will be....even in Winnipeg.
Eventually an Ikea will come to Winnipeg, and the peggers will love it... might as well get used to the idea. Right now 9 out of 10 peggers would love to have one in their city.

SpongeG

Jan 31, 2007, 5:54 AM

these IKEA in Winnipeg Rumours are a lot like the IKEA founder Rumours that he is the richest man in the world yet he says he is not and points out that IKEA is held or owned by some charity that he gave IKEA too or something

let me snopes it out

Xelebes

Jan 31, 2007, 6:11 AM

Kalmar - 230k (in county)

230 thou... oh wait, it's with a K.

trueviking

Jan 31, 2007, 6:35 AM

That is so funny. I had no idea Winnipeg didn't have an Ikea.

Why is it Winnipeg never had one? Calgary got an Ikea 25 years ago??

the most common answer to that is that in the 80's and early 90's the defehr family, who own palliser furniture, the largest furniture manufacturer in canada and the second largest in north america, muscled any potential franchise investors out....not sure how they did that exactly but that was what was commonly reported.

winnipeg and ikea is all about status...who really cares....i prefer to have the flagship EQ3 store, but i guess we are not one of the big boys until we have a massive parking lot with thousands of mini vans roaming about a giant blue box.

they should put it in the top floor of the Bay downtown.....imagine that?

Habanero

Jan 31, 2007, 6:46 AM

the most common answer to that is that in the 80's and early 90's the defehr family, who own palliser furniture, the largest furniture manufacturer in canada and the second largest in north america, muscled any potential franchise investors out....not sure how they did that exactly but that was what was commonly reported.

winnipeg and ikea is all about status...who really cares....i prefer to have the flagship EQ3 store, but i guess we are not one of the big boys until we have a massive parking lot with thousands of mini vans roaming about a giant blue box.

Interesting. I hadn't heard that story before.

I didn't realize the Winnipeg EQ3 store was the flagship store for Canada, it's not much different than the one in Calgary. EQ3 IMO is just as cliche as Ikea, only it's grossly overpriced.

but i guess we are not one of the big boys until we have a massive parking lot with thousands of mini vans roaming about a giant blue box.

That is true, the Ikea thing is a status thing. Most people in Winnipeg would much rather have the Ikea

Surrealplaces

Jan 31, 2007, 7:14 AM

Interesting. I hadn't heard that story before.

I didn't realize the Winnipeg EQ3 store was the flagship store for Canada, it's not much different than the one in Calgary. EQ3 IMO is just as cliche as Ikea, only it's grossly overpriced.

I like EQ3, it is somewhat overpriced but the quality is generally good, and the stuff is unique. Well.... at least it used to be, that kind of furniture is pretty common these days, still much more imagination than Ikea.

winnipeg and ikea is all about status...who really cares....i prefer to have the flagship EQ3 store, but i guess we are not one of the big boys until we have a massive parking lot with thousands of mini vans roaming about a giant blue box.

Who really cares? Well, everyone in Winnipeg with the exception of the people here on the forum of course. Bottom line is Winnipeggers would kill to have one.

1ajs

Jan 31, 2007, 7:31 AM

is being draged to the ikea hear in minneaplis tomarow and i have never set foot in one
to get dishes or somthing for the kitchen i am going to be building with my dad at the cabin...

Surrealplaces

Jan 31, 2007, 7:33 AM

is being draged to the ikea hear in minneaplis tomarow and i have never set foot in one
to get dishes or somthing for the kitchen i am going to be building with my dad at the cabin...

My wife drags me into the one here all the time ;)

1ajs

Jan 31, 2007, 7:36 AM

My wife drags me into the one here all the time ;)

supost to have breakfast there wtf ?

trueviking

Jan 31, 2007, 7:40 AM

Interesting. I hadn't heard that story before.

I didn't realize the Winnipeg EQ3 store was the flagship store for Canada, it's not much different than the one in Calgary. EQ3 IMO is just as cliche as Ikea, only it's grossly overpriced.

but i guess we are not one of the big boys until we have a massive parking lot with thousands of mini vans roaming about a giant blue box.

That is true, the Ikea thing is a status thing. Most people in Winnipeg would much rather have the Ikea

EQ3 is palliser...ours was the first and when they do new lines and concepts it is tried here first...the defehrs are good community citizens...they actually stole 3 or 4 of the top people from ikea when they started it up...including a couple designers.....its a nice store, but they havent reached their goal of being an ikea competitor quite yet.

i agree about the overprice...i bought a cabinet from EQ3 and paid like $400 for it and then had to put it together myself?...for that money i want it to be put together properly by a craftsman or at least a machine....not by me on my living room floor with an L shaped wrench.

you are right...most people in winnipeg salivate over ikea....cheap crap...its like the store was made for winnipeg...there would be 3 poang chairs in every house for a 200 km radius around the store.

Surrealplaces

Jan 31, 2007, 8:00 AM

EQ3 is palliser...ours was the first and when they do new lines and concepts it is tried here first...the defehrs are good community citizens...they actually stole 3 or 4 of the top people from ikea when they started it up...including a couple designers.....its a nice store, but they havent reached their goal of being an ikea competitor quite yet.

i agree about the overprice...i bought a cabinet from EQ3 and paid like $400 for it and then had to put it together myself?...for that money i want it to be put together properly by a craftsman or at least a machine....not by me on my living room floor with an L shaped wrench.

you are right...most people in winnipeg salivate over ikea....cheap crap...its like the store was made for winnipeg...there would be 3 poang chairs in every house for a 200 km radius around the store.

I quite like the stuff at EQ3. It is a bit overpriced, but what the heck, their stuff is unique. I almost bought a computer desk from them a while back.

SpongeG

Jan 31, 2007, 8:10 AM

breakfast at IKEA is only 99 cents

you get egg, sausage, hashbrowns and a croissant

drew

Jan 31, 2007, 2:50 PM

^and the way it tastes, you pretty much paid twice what its worth...

EQ3 is OK, I almost bought a couple end tables there. The one thing it has going for it that IKEA doesn't - is that EQ3 builds furniture with materials OTHER than pine...

flatlander

Jan 31, 2007, 9:28 PM

you are right...most people in winnipeg salivate over ikea....cheap crap...its like the store was made for winnipeg...there would be 3 poang chairs in every house for a 200 km radius around the store.

Note to self: remove Poang's before inviting TV over (leftover from student days which weren't so long ago ...) Seat TV on EQ3 couch ...

trueviking

Jan 31, 2007, 10:19 PM

^i actually only sit on mid century modern couches....if it aint designed by corbu or mies...i'll sit on the floor.

flatlander

Jan 31, 2007, 11:19 PM

^ I guess the bbq's at your place then. Let me know what I can bring!

1ajs

Feb 1, 2007, 12:38 AM

lol the wpg ssp great bbq cook off :P

SpongeG

Feb 1, 2007, 1:29 AM

i like my poang

1ajs

Feb 1, 2007, 1:50 AM

your what now?

anyhow spent 3hrs in ikea board outa my mind this morning at the one across from mall of amarica witch i also went over there to go shoping for some other stuff that you can't get at ikea... bleh.. still can't find any stuff for my pentax here even arrg

newflyer

Feb 1, 2007, 2:39 AM

vid

Feb 1, 2007, 2:42 AM

I don't know what a Poang is. Does that make me a backwards hick? :shrug:

SpongeG

Feb 1, 2007, 2:50 AM

THIS IS A poang

http://www.tedmills.com/images/poang.jpg

mine is black with black leather - its quite comfy

vid

Feb 1, 2007, 3:13 AM

Oh, it's a queer little chair. :)

How wonderful for you! I have a 'chesterfield'!

It's old and smells funny, and not comfortable at all! :tup:

harls

Feb 1, 2007, 3:22 AM

I have one of those.

Let's burn it and cook lacquer-smoked hotdogs.

1ajs

Feb 1, 2007, 3:36 AM

THIS IS A poang

http://www.tedmills.com/images/poang.jpg

mine is black with black leather - its quite comfy

thats somthing i would get if i ever got my own place

if i had any clue what the house cupple doors over was going for i would grab it instead of going south like i am atm...

drew

Feb 1, 2007, 2:47 PM

I have one of those.

Let's burn it and cook lacquer-smoked hotdogs.

I have one too. We can chop them into bits, and fire them up in my charcoal weber bbq... Probably won't need any lighter fuel.

smasher000

Feb 1, 2007, 4:41 PM

Vancouver has two Ikeas = 2mil ppl ;)

harls

Feb 1, 2007, 5:38 PM

magnificent.

westvan1

Feb 2, 2007, 12:55 AM

Gotta love my poang chair. Too easy to fall asleep in with the ottoman though.

flatlander

Feb 2, 2007, 5:58 AM

They have great christmas decorations.

trueviking

Feb 2, 2007, 6:09 AM

vid

Feb 2, 2007, 6:10 AM

"remember when we didnt have old navy and everyone would go to the states just to fill up on 5 dollar t-shirts....then they opened one here and it was like the biggest selling old navy in north america for a couple of months,....now the place is empty and nobody cares."

That happens to every Old Navy. ;)

Ours gave out coupons that were only good on the Thursday before it opened! :tup:

trueviking

Feb 2, 2007, 6:10 AM

SpongeG

Feb 2, 2007, 6:31 AM

yeah thats why i would hate to See Target come to Canada - it has a nice cache only being in the states

if it were up here that would be lost

adeep88

Feb 2, 2007, 7:02 AM

It's basically that way for all stores.

West Edmonton Mall is home to a lot of upper end stores (designer stores, etc) that are the only location of Edmonton. Hype is big at first, but when everyone starts wearing them, the marginal utility diminishes.

Mind you, Ikea is pretty solid. I usually go there every once in a while.

The reason Ikea entered EDMONTON and Cowtown despite not having a large population base in the 80's, is the stores were much smaller in size compared to the warehouses that exist today.

Whether Ikea still operates smaller Ikea stores - I'm not sure.

SpongeG

Feb 2, 2007, 10:09 AM

in england they have started to open smaller inner urban city stores

Giant IKEA thinks small to expand in town centres

THE furniture giant IKEA yesterday unveiled radical plans for the first in a series of smaller stores in town centres across Britain.

The new shops are a departure for the Swedish retailer, which has previously opted for huge out-of-town warehouses.

An application to build a smaller store at Hillingdon, in West London, is expected to be submitted for planning permission within the next fortnight.

Scott Cordrey, IKEA's UK property manager, said: "The concept will be very different to anything we have built before in the IKEA world.

"This will be a benchmark for retailers in the M25 area, both in flexibility and environmental measures."

The new store, which will include a restaurant, will be about 20,000 sq m in size and laid out over three levels. The development also will include 240 one- and two-bedroom flats, with 170 of them classified as affordable housing.

The chain intends to build between eight and ten of the new smaller stores within the next three years.

A spokeswoman for IKEA said they have no immediate plans for a new store in Scotland, but that they have not yet chosen locations for the smaller shops.

The company already has two large branches in Scotland - one just off the Edinburgh city bypass and another at Braehead in Glasgow.

Last year, John Prescott, the Deputy Prime Minister, refused the furniture chain permission to build a £30 million store at Stockport, near Manchester, because it went against government policy on out-of-town shopping developments.

IKEA appealed to the High Court but the decision was upheld last March. In a statement released after the High Court decision the company said it would continue with its expansion plans.

The smaller stores are seen as a way around the planning policy. The firm has described its new format as "IKEA as we know it" but that it would involve "compromises on range presentation and office space".

Leigh Sparks, professor of retail studies at Stirling University, said: "The smaller size of the stores will inevitably mean a compromise on the number of products available. How they handle that will be an interesting choice, and what works and what doesn't work is something they'll have to find out through experimentation."

Prof Sparks thinks the new stores may make use of IKEA's home delivery service and could act as a shopfront for items that may not be held in stock in the smaller stores but would be available to order.

He added: "Much will depend on the mix of products in store. There is a danger that if existing customers go to the new stores and are dissatisfied with the range they find there then it could damage the brand."

Neil Mason, a senior retail analyst with Mintel, said: "This is an attempt by IKEA to modify its format to get planning consent and make itself more available to consumers in the UK.

"They've been a victim of their own success in some ways - they're just so popular. They have a winning formula and I see no reason why they can't repeat that with their smaller format stores."

He added that the Swedish firm's plan to start selling goods online also would appeal to shoppers who wanted to avoid the crowds in its existing 13 large stores.

http://business.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=679&id=669542005

westvan1

Feb 2, 2007, 5:52 PM

remember when we didnt have old navy and everyone would go to the states just to fill up on 5 dollar t-shirts....then they opened one here and it was like the biggest selling old navy in north america for a couple of months,....now the place is empty and nobody cares.

thats what would happen if ikea came to town...we have spent decades hanging on every hint and rumour...it will finally come...every house will have bags of tea lights in the closet....every junk drawer will have 10 L shaped wrenches in it....basement rec rooms will be loaded with 99 dollar bent plywood chairs.....and we will all wonder what the big fuss was for so many years.

That doesn't explain the constant growth of the company though. I don't have the stats but Ikea is much larger worldwide than it was 10 years ago, 20 years ago etc. The founder is now one of the richest men in the world. It first opened in Richmond BC in 1976 in a fairly small (by today's standards) location. After perhaps 8 years they built a new much-larger store on a larger site. That store was then expanded at least 2 times.

Then about 5 years ago, they added the 330,000 SF Coquitlam store to better support the eastern suburbs and Fraser Valley communities. They're obviously doing a huge volume of business with the 2 stores 30 years later.

If what you suggest is true, it probably affirms the fact that there aren't enough youngish families in Wpg setting up shop in condos, townhouses and older homes that want value-oriented and stylish homeware and furniture. And there aren't enough of these types plus singles migrating to Wpg to bolster the population sufficiently. You might call it "churn". I think the Ikea model depends on fresh blood. :)

freeweed

Feb 3, 2007, 6:10 AM

same thing with MEXX...i used to load up on their clothes whenever i was in vancouver...now that we have one, i dont ever shop there because every third guy on the street is wearing a MEXX shirt.

ikea stuff is fine now because it takes some effort to get it....if we had one it would be so common that you would have to search for something different.

And this, kids, is why life is so much easier when you're not a fashion slave.

Now give me my goddamn Izod store (what the Bay has doesn't count, they're already past the metrosexual pink in the US)!

freeweed

Feb 3, 2007, 6:11 AM

yeah thats why i would hate to See Target come to Canada - it has a nice cache only being in the states

I'm pretty sure the word you're looking for is "cachet". Unless you hide stuff in the back whenever you visit the US.

For the record, I want a Tar-je very badly. They get exclusive nerd toys all the time, and now that I'm in Calgary, it's one hell of an expensive trip to get a $30 Transformer (or whatever). I DID say nerd.

trueviking

Feb 3, 2007, 6:38 PM

That doesn't explain the constant growth of the company though. I don't have the stats but Ikea is much larger worldwide than it was 10 years ago, 20 years ago etc. The founder is now one of the richest men in the world. It first opened in Richmond BC in 1976 in a fairly small (by today's standards) location. After perhaps 8 years they built a new much-larger store on a larger site. That store was then expanded at least 2 times.

Then about 5 years ago, they added the 330,000 SF Coquitlam store to better support the eastern suburbs and Fraser Valley communities. They're obviously doing a huge volume of business with the 2 stores 30 years later.

If what you suggest is true, it probably affirms the fact that there aren't enough youngish families in Wpg setting up shop in condos, townhouses and older homes that want value-oriented and stylish homeware and furniture. And there aren't enough of these types plus singles migrating to Wpg to bolster the population sufficiently. You might call it "churn". I think the Ikea model depends on fresh blood. :)

oh yeah...for 90% of the world, everyone else having three poangs wont stop them from buying their own...i was just talking about the cool people....you know people who wouldnt be caught dead wearing izod. :)

slide_rule

Feb 3, 2007, 7:42 PM

harls

Feb 3, 2007, 11:17 PM

Don't try to move an Ikea closet from one home to another, or you can and get yelled at by your wife for effectively pulling it apart by trying to move it.

trueviking

Feb 4, 2007, 1:47 AM

when i was a student, my cubble-hole/apartment was full of ikea furniture.

their styles are good, their stores are well-organized, their staff is friendly, and their prices make sense. unfortunately, the quality of their furniture leaves a lot to be desired. all that particleboard and glue-on connection points allow dressers and desks to disintegrate after a few years.

but, it's still a decent store. if only they offered durability in addition to all their other strong points.

i agree....compared to the alternatives...puffy couches like george costanza's down filled jacket.....living room tables that have a glass top on a concrete ball or pyramid...ikea at least is designed furniture.....if all stores concentrated on design as much as ikea i would be happy.

GreatTallNorth2

Feb 4, 2007, 2:30 AM

They are going to build an Ikea in the town centre of Southampton, UK and it's population is just over 200,000. Having said that, it would certainly serve a broad population of the south coast of England.

There is talk of an IKEA in Northwest London, Ontario and this is more than just a rumour. London, like Southampton, could serve a market area from Kitchener to Windsor.

YYCguys

Feb 4, 2007, 3:57 AM

...For the record, I want a Tar-je very badly...

I just came back from a trip to Orlando and visited Tarje there. Loved it! I hope to see them in Canada as well, but as they are very similar to Zellers and Walmart, I doubt that it will make an appearance here. Speaking of Zellers, isn't the owner of Tarje the one and the same as the new owner of Zellers aka HBC Family of Stores?

vid

Feb 4, 2007, 4:27 AM

No, I think HBC was bought by a guy in South Caroline. Target is owned by a company in Minneapolis. Target and Zellers are very similar (though Zellers trys too hard and fails more often) so if they did come here, they'd be in direct competition.

But when you look at Zellers and Target, almost everything is the same, right down to the red lines on the floor. It's weird. They may have changed though, I haven't been in either for about two years now.

flatlander

Feb 4, 2007, 4:52 AM

^^Jerry Zucker.

vid

Feb 4, 2007, 4:59 AM

Does he own both though? I think the company that has target is called TJH or something?

flatlander

Feb 4, 2007, 5:28 AM

I don't believe he owns both - just the HBC/Zellers businesses. Don't know anything about Target.

freeweed

Feb 4, 2007, 6:16 AM

I just came back from a trip to Orlando and visited Tarje there. Loved it! I hope to see them in Canada as well, but as they are very similar to Zellers and Walmart, I doubt that it will make an appearance here.

Yeah, it's basically a Zellers/Wal-mart clone. I just want one because they keep getting exclusive toy releases. Petty, but what'r'ya gonna do? :)

SpongeG

Feb 4, 2007, 9:19 AM

I'm pretty sure the word you're looking for is "cachet". Unless you hide stuff in the back whenever you visit the US.

For the record, I want a Tar-je very badly. They get exclusive nerd toys all the time, and now that I'm in Calgary, it's one hell of an expensive trip to get a $30 Transformer (or whatever). I DID say nerd.

theres a target 30 minutes from where i live - so i am good :banana:

now if the border was eliminated and the wait was always only 5 minutes it would be double banana :banana: :banana:

SpongeG

Feb 4, 2007, 9:21 AM

And this, kids, is why life is so much easier when you're not a fashion slave.

Now give me my goddamn Izod store (what the Bay has doesn't count, they're already past the metrosexual pink in the US)!

izod stores? do they have those?

i have seen IZOD outlets but never a store

204

Feb 7, 2007, 5:40 AM

It wasn't until the last couple years that they started opening Ikeas in the US

The first US store opened in 1985 (http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2005_Oct_26/ai_n15735924)... :koko:

204

Feb 7, 2007, 5:54 AM

izod stores? do they have those?

i have seen IZOD outlets but never a store

No they only have 'factory' stores. Lacoste has a couple of stores in Vancouver though....

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/161/382461095_5c8135aa0d.jpg

Burrard Street

ibz

Feb 7, 2007, 6:08 AM

The first US store opened in 1985 (http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2005_Oct_26/ai_n15735924)... :koko:

Yeah but 10 of their 25 stores in the US have opened in the last 2 years, in 1995 there were only 8 stores in the US and only 10 in 2000, not a whole lot for a market the size of the USA, especially compared to now as they are throwing up several a year. Anyways I guess I wasnt very clear in my typing, meant wasnt until the last couple years that they really started to expand into the US market. :p

http://www.ikea.com/ms/en_US/about_ikea/facts_figures/ikea_group_stores.html

SpongeG

Feb 7, 2007, 6:25 AM

Yeah but 10 of their 25 stores in the US have opened in the last 2 years, in 1995 there were only 8 stores in the US and only 10 in 2000, not a whole lot for a market the size of the USA, especially compared to now as they are throwing up several a year. Anyways I guess I wasnt very clear in my typing, meant wasnt until the last couple years that they really started to expand into the US market. :p

http://www.ikea.com/ms/en_US/about_ikea/facts_figures/ikea_group_stores.html

yeah they expanded much slower down there compared to Canada

I just read that there are now 3 in texas

--------------------------------

I thought Izod & Lacoste were separate companies? :shrug:

SpongeG

Feb 7, 2007, 6:28 AM

ok just read - in the 80's Izod and lacoste partnered up to produce some stuff

but they went their separate ways in the 90's

Izod is now owned by Van Heusen - it was never owned by lacoste but they had a partenership and some license agreements

freeweed

Feb 7, 2007, 7:15 AM

Izod is now owned by Van Heusen - it was never owned by lacoste but they had a partenership and some license agreements

Explains why I now see Van Heusen stores all over outlet malls in the US - and why I enjoy at least some of their clothing.

wayward_prince

May 7, 2008, 6:46 PM

I think the magic one million is bullshit too.. urban legend that won't die.

I think the reason that we don't already have one has a lot to do with Palliser (NEFCO) being based here, and their stranglehold on the local furniture market. ie. EQ3, Penthouse, Palliser, Thomasville, etc. etc. all owned by the same company.

But perhaps that doesn't matter anymore.. and as much as I hate Shady Swindleman, he would know.

sorry, you are more than wrong. NEFCO does not own Palliser and if any one company actually had a 'stranglehold' on the local retail furniture market, both Leons (Toronto) and The Brick (Edmonton) would have been prevented from entering it in the late 1980's. Further to that the Shindleman or Swindleman family as you refer to them do commercial real estate in the city and it is the Adelman family who is the owner of Penthouse/NEFCO and they only sell Palliser manufactured products and have zero ownership otherwise-Palliser and EQ3 are entirely De Fehr. Also, Thomasville is an American owned and operated company. Nice try though.

wayward_prince

May 7, 2008, 7:01 PM

the most common answer to that is that in the 80's and early 90's the defehr family, who own palliser furniture, the largest furniture manufacturer in canada and the second largest in north america, muscled any potential franchise investors out....not sure how they did that exactly but that was what was commonly reported.

winnipeg and ikea is all about status...who really cares....i prefer to have the flagship EQ3 store, but i guess we are not one of the big boys until we have a massive parking lot with thousands of mini vans roaming about a giant blue box.

they should put it in the top floor of the Bay downtown.....imagine that?

I wish to highlight the word 'common' in commonly reported lol-and as for Palliser being the second largest in all of North America...well...we can dream I suppose but that pinnacle has yet to be reached. ;)

wayward_prince

May 7, 2008, 7:04 PM

EQ3 is palliser...ours was the first and when they do new lines and concepts it is tried here first...the defehrs are good community citizens...they actually stole 3 or 4 of the top people from ikea when they started it up...including a couple designers.....its a nice store, but they havent reached their goal of being an ikea competitor quite yet.

i agree about the overprice...i bought a cabinet from EQ3 and paid like $400 for it and then had to put it together myself?...for that money i want it to be put together properly by a craftsman or at least a machine....not by me on my living room floor with an L shaped wrench.

you are right...most people in winnipeg salivate over ikea....cheap crap...its like the store was made for winnipeg...there would be 3 poang chairs in every house for a 200 km radius around the store.

good corporate citizens indeed. and the De Fehr family also doesn't demand their name be put up in neon lights on facilities they donate to. modesty can be so attractive.

RAFS

May 7, 2008, 10:29 PM

BubberMiley

May 8, 2008, 1:11 AM

I heard rumours they're interested in a big lot on the SW corner of Pembina and Bishop Grandin.
But I'll believe it when I see it.

Boreal

May 8, 2008, 1:11 AM

I hate to admit this, as I never really was a proponent of IKEA. Of course, I never was an opponent, just neutral. However, with the current rise in prices I am turning to cheaper alternatives, and thus I would welcome an IKEA with open arms.

One would think that with the current escalation in prices - or the crunch on other goods, created by energy costs - that discount retailers (albeit, not in the housing-start industry, a la Home Depot) would be in expansionary phase, looking to oligopolize a massive market segment looking to save a buck.

Anyways, is that the land near Convergys? Or on the other side of Bishop Grandin, adjacent to Whyte Ridge?

vid

May 8, 2008, 1:33 AM

For those interested, I have recently learned that Ikea owns land just east of the Waverley Auto Mall. Roll # 03-065042800 maybe (just a guess)? Does this mean we are getting an Ikea? No, it just means they own land here.

It's just a speculative hold. They're going to keep it until prices skyrocket then sell it for profit. :yes:

They have no interest in Winnipeg at all! :frog:

Tower Crane

May 8, 2008, 2:50 AM

While driving home I could see the construction workers pouring the grade beams for the new Ikea store. Looks like she's going to be big.
The general contractor is Mirage Construction from out east.

Greco Roman

May 8, 2008, 3:26 AM

While driving home I could see the construction workers pouring the grade beams for the new Ikea store. Looks like she's going to be big. The general contractor is Mirage Construction from out east.

Are you talking about Edmonton or Winnipeg?

RAFS

May 8, 2008, 3:28 AM

It's just a speculative hold. They're going to keep it until prices skyrocket then sell it for profit. :yes:

They have no interest in Winnipeg at all! :frog:

If they have (or had) no interest at all, why bother buying land? Really? Obviously Winnipeg had crossed their mind at some point. I doubt they go around buying land randomly, in hopes it may make some cash.

wags_in_the_peg

May 8, 2008, 12:58 PM

I see Penthouse furniture has re-opened itself in the Exchange as Penthouse Life or something like that. The glossy flyer I received today doidn't have a couch for less than like $5k. What a complete opposite than IKEA. Some say 'peggers are cheap but not if they are shopping there. $5k would get you 1/2 of the inventory in an IKEA store.

IntotheWest

May 8, 2008, 11:03 PM

sorry, you are more than wrong. NEFCO does not own Palliser...

Does NEFCO just sell Palliser stuff then? We proudly have new theatre seating from Palliser (I say proudly, because we try to buy most of our furniture from Canadian companies...Palliser and True North seemingly being our favourites)...though, there was a mark on the leather, and I had to call to get it looked at - the number I had was for NEFCO.

Anyway, EQ3 stuff looks far better than the stuff at Ikea - if you like that modern look (not my style). I've learned the Ikea lesson the hard way...it might be inexpensive, but its also cheap. I think Winnipeg has too many other great furniture options that Winnipegers should be thankful for not having the largest of big box stores in their city.

1ajs

May 9, 2008, 12:02 AM

Does NEFCO just sell Palliser stuff then? We proudly have new theatre seating from Palliser (I say proudly, because we try to buy most of our furniture from Canadian companies...Palliser and True North seemingly being our favourites)...though, there was a mark on the leather, and I had to call to get it looked at - the number I had was for NEFCO.

Anyway, EQ3 stuff looks far better than the stuff at Ikea - if you like that modern look (not my style). I've learned the Ikea lesson the hard way...it might be inexpensive, but its also cheap. I think Winnipeg has too many other great furniture options that Winnipegers should be thankful for not having the largest of big box stores in their city.

:tup:

IKEA is so over rated i spent several hours in one last year i could not wait to get out......... blah........

vid

May 9, 2008, 12:58 AM

If they have (or had) no interest at all, why bother buying land? Really? Obviously Winnipeg had crossed their mind at some point. I doubt they go around buying land randomly, in hopes it may make some cash.

My post was sarcasm, as evident by the green smilie eating a fly with it's long, frog-like tongue. Welcome to the intarwebz, G. :hug:

IKEA is crap. It's no better than the cheap furniture you can get at Wal-Mart or Zellers. They just happen to have a larger selection and a restaurant that sells mostly meatballs and hernekeitto.

If your furniture is to be put together by allen keys, you've been had! ;)

IntotheWest

May 9, 2008, 1:16 AM

My post was sarcasm, as evident by the green smilie eating a fly with it's long, frog-like tongue. Welcome to the intarwebz, G. :hug:

IKEA is crap. It's no better than the cheap furniture you can get at Wal-Mart or Zellers. They just happen to have a larger selection and a restaurant that sells mostly meatballs and hernekeitto.

If your furniture is to be put together by allen keys, you've been had! ;)

I will say that it probably has its place...if its you've just moved out of parents home, gone to college, etc., it's probably better than getting a "Don't Pay Til 2010" deal at the Brick or Leons - most of there stuff is crap as well, and at least Ikea is simplistic trendy and mostly functional (which, does appeal to a lot of younger folks).

It's also easy to pick up and move around (if it doesn't break doing so)...we do have one bed frame from Ikea that's moved with us at least 5 times in the past 7 years...its surprisingly held up well. Any of the solid wood stuff will last (vs the simple beech-veneered crap they sell)...it just won't ever look like you spent more than $50 on it.

I will add though, that our Palliser seating isn't pricey at all. Defehr isn't too much more money - though, I do believe a lot of their stuff is "Made in China" anyway.

h0twired

May 9, 2008, 2:08 PM

:tup:

IKEA is so over rated i spent several hours in one last year i could not wait to get out......... blah........

That's because you still live at home with your mom and dad.

For most people first moving out IKEA is a cheap way to equip an apartment rather inexpensively.

drew

May 9, 2008, 2:23 PM

Greco Roman

May 9, 2008, 2:29 PM

Bought a dresser drawer at IKEA in September; started to fall apart by February.

IKEA: never again!

IntotheWest

May 9, 2008, 3:01 PM

^ true. When my wife and I first moved into an apartment, we went to visit my sister in Calgary, and came back with half of IKEA in the back seat of the car...

That being said, after having owned this furniture for a number of years, we have both sworn off IKEA product completely (except the kitchen gadgetry of course). We bought the "higher end" solid wood stuff, TV stand, kitchen table, chairs, coffee table, etc. and 4 years later the stuff looks absolutely beaten to hell.

It's dented, pitted, scratched, chipped. It is slowly ending up in the back lane for the junk collectors to grab. Our kitchen table was basically ruined after ONE poker game (splashing the pot with clay chips dents the table!)

If you are young, starting out my advice is to AVOID IKEA furniture. If you do buy it, get the cheap shit, cuz it will be garbage in a couple years anyway. I recommend looking for used stuff, go to antique places... get creative.

Yeah, fully agree. Though, I still have friends that come out from Winnipeg and go back with a load of Ikea stuff...pushing 40 and they still like it.

They do have a lot of "okay" decorating accessories, etc, but it's still cheap. I'd rather go to Home Sense for that stuff. And even kitchen stuff - same thing, I'd rather spend more money at Williams-Sonoma that will last (heck, even Sears or the Bay), than cheap out.

I agree with your advice though, buy as much as possible elsewhere (at least the big stuff). Spend $1000-1500 on a table and chairs vs $300. We bought some of the solid wood pieces, and had the same issue. I'll also say though, that we cheaped out at Urban Barn, and quickly payed the price too (especially since the tables were made with an Asian wood that needs humidity to keep shape...not good in Calgary ;-) I think the general rule is you get what you pay for, period.

There is a large warehouse-style antique store just east of Lockport that we've been to a few times...only bought some accessories there, but the prices aren't bad - but you have to be into the styles they have to appreciate it (i.e. not modern).