Grandview Heights?
Thanks to a commentor’s tips I today called the Grandview Hieghts Ohio offices and spoke to someone in Development. When I said I was calling about rumours of an IKEA in his town he kinda laughed and went “where did you hear that?” and was rather surprised it had gotten out.
He did say it was “going around:” but there was nothing set at all, just that “groups” were looking. We talked about IKEA a bit, hwo far people will travel (I’ve done 6 hours) and he also seemed rather unaware of the traffic implications. “How much traffic can a furniture store get?” he naively asked.
I told him to Google it; that IKEA would bring a TON of people to thier town, and a ton of income as well, but unless they planned the traffic for overkill they would be yanking out their hair a year after opening. And when I said overkill I said plan on it being every rock concert and mall all at once, daily. and it might not be enough. Bring in the best traffic designers, it’ll pay for itself.
The traffic IS an issue, it will not get better, it will only stay constant. It’s an all year draw, and weekends are the worst.
All IKEA fans know it can tale a half hour to reach the parking lot from the last stoplight. Thats it could take another 15 minutes to find a spot located roughly in Canada. That IKEA is a at least half day affair. We do it anyway.
So - that’s the grandview angle, its not a “yes” but it’s certainly not an “no”, yet.
The reporter I spoke to on the phone said that there was talk of there being a bidding war around Columbus for IKEA to locate there. :::Crosses fingers:::
And if anyone from IKEA is reading this, I’d like to point your attention to the the poll on the right, 23% far and away the leader is “Between Dayton and Cincinnati on 75″.. come look at Union Center exit on 75 - Tell me you don’t see it with a big blue box on it. I know I do! Hey a girl can dream.
I just dream in cobalt and gold, and it all smells like meatballs.
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Two people told me today that they heard Ikea was coming to Polaris. Any other rumors?
It would be nice to have an Ikea in Ohio, It’s sad to have to travel to Pennsylvania, New Jersy, New York, and Illinois and give these states our business. Give it a thought, it will be profitable to any city.
I happen to live in Grandview and as much as I would LOVE to have an Ikea closer than Pittsburgh, I can not, in a MILLION years imagine it would be in Grandview. We would NEVER be able to support the traffic. If there are rumors it’s only because the City of Grandview really has no idea what having an Ikea would mean. There just wouldn’t be room. Polaris - now that might work.
Anyone from Columbus ought to know this is a ridiculous rumor. There’s not enough space in Grandview for an IKEA. Period. (I suspect someone may have confused it with the new Global Living store on Grandview Ave. Someone who has no clue about IKEA–Global Living is a design gallery.) Personally, I think that all that open space on the south side of Cow Town cries out for an IKEA. But that’s just me…
Ppl forget that “Grandview Heights” is just a fancy name for a part of Columbus… so, this is really about Columbus getting an IKEA. And it should, before Cleveland or Cinci - Columbus is more centrally located.
That said, Sara is right. Grandview is small, the streets are pretty narrow. It’s a good location only with regard to OSU (that is, it’s easier for students to get to than some other parts of town). I can’t even imagine where in Grandview Heights they would put the store - on Goodale? On 5th, which is already congested, near the Giant Eagle? It’s a bad idea. I also think that Grandview is a pretty liberal area, as parts of Columbus go, and if this comes up at a town meeting, I can’t imagine that residents wouldn’t fight it (because, although it’s near downtown Columbus, it’s an area that feels “small” - all the big box stores are on the outskirts of town).
Polaris, an area still being developed, is not convenient to OSU (it’s on the far north end of town). Traffic is already kind of nasty out there, particularly at the 270/23 exit and the 71/Polaris exit. Other than exacerbation of the traffic problems, it’s an ideal location, particularly because of its proximity to I-71 (making it convenient to the rest of OH).
Maybe they should put the Ikea where City Center sits now - then OSU students could take the bus. Downtown Columbus needs an Ikea!