When it rains it pours

Stephen Frazier pointed out this article to me about the Michigan IKEA opening in the Toldedo Blade, he said to notice this paragraph near the bottom… I share that passage here with great glee.

Until now, the nearest Ikeas to Toledo were in Pittsburgh or Chicago. The company, with headquarters in Helsingborg, Sweden, and Plymouth Meeting, Pa., plans more stores until it has 50 in the United States, including one in southwestern Ohio.

WHEEE!!!! :::jumping for joy::::

Now, that’s the Cincinnati/Dayton area, what’s your bet? Union Center? Cincinnati Mills? Tri County? Some wide spot on 75 Between Dayton and Cinci?

And Northern Kentucky comes up from behind…

Could the Tristate area be leading the Ohio race for Ikea?

For those living around Cincinnati and just over the river, this article might be a breath of hope, a little at least, with this part: “One possible tenant could be the large outdoor retail chain Cabela’s, which is known for drawing millions of tourists each year to each of its 14 locations across the country, said John Thompson, senior vice president of retail for Everest Real Estate, the broker for the property.

Ikea has stopped considering the location for now, Thompson said, but Cabela’s hasn’t lost interest. He said he has no commitment from Cabela’s.”

Hey, we know now that they are looking in the Cinci area, this is the second confirmed lead for the Cinci metro area (for those outside this are, Florence, KY is mere minutes over the river and inside the 275 loop around Cinci) - the first being At Union Center, just north of the 275 loop.

They are looking here - they are! It’ll come! Burn more incense and inferior Walmart furniture!

Newest store edging completion

IKEA Canton (Michigan!) is “progressing nicely” and is due to open in summer of 2006. It’s just north of Toledo, so it’s the closest IKEA to Ohio saving many of those on the west side a few hours off the present Chicago drive.

When it opens, I’ll be leading a caravan to go visit, so keep your eyes peeled here for more news as it happens.

ENOUGH!

If you people from Cleveland would google this crap you’d find this yourselves:

Legacy denies IKEA rumors

Legacy Village officials, though, believe the Expo Design Center location is not big enough for an IKEA and are skeptical as to whether that company would come to Lyndhurst.”

Now, I said this months ago. STOP Spreading this rumor. Click for more and learn WHY!
Continue reading »

IKEA to come to Cleveland?

UrbanOhio.com thread on this site and inside is a rumor that IKEA has purchased land in Cleveland.

I have not substantiated this one yet, but looking at the site in question I HIGHLY doubt it. It just doens’t gel with what they typically always require as a stone cold non-neogitable.

Personally I think Columbus was a better location for the first Ohio IKEA, but it could be timing and bargaining fell through. Perhaps they will still try.

With Detroit getting one, and Cleveland possibly getting one, our road trips for Swedish crack have at least halved.

IKEA coming to Dayton/Cincinnati?

Is IKEA coming?

I like this bit: Real estate sources say the pocketbook-friendly furniture chain has been “in the market,” actively scouting sites at Union Center Boulevard in Butler County and the Auto Nation property in Hamilton County’s Forest Park. The retailer has gotten so many proposals that a spokesman said it is looking for a service to filter its many local inquiries.

I might be biased, since I am only three exits away, but Union center is a PERFECT location. It really is. It reminds me VERY much of the Schaumburg location, only with room to grow since it’s so young.

They cay no, let’s all call the IKEA phone number on thier website and let them know we WANTS IT. My precious…

News about IKEA in Ohio

It’s not good. At least not for the immediate future.

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.

Will it be Reynoldsburg?

A little blue birdie said that there is a hubbub in the Reynoldsburg, Ohio offices, seems “blue box bid” is the reason. Yep, IKEA is going buckeye! Reynoldsburg is a suburb just on the outside 270 loop, to the east of Columbus proper.

Now, one possible catch is that Reynoldsburg has zoning regulations that only allow for natural brick, and as all IKEA fans know their buildings are cobalt blue.

The swedes are very into corporate identity and the store is the identity. All stores are blue. I hope this works out before Reynoldsburg blows something fabulous for everyone.

Columbus I think is the natural place for IKEA, but my heart dreams of closer, and thinking over the local options. I think just a couple exits south of me in West Chester, Ohio on 75 at the Union Center exit would be an ideal place. New area, new exit ramp as of three years ago, a bunch of higher end shop and restaurants stuff still just going in, still lots of room to grow. Most of that area around the ramp is open and empty still. Lots of room for a Big Blue Box.

Oh yeah, that’s the ideal place I think, and still very accessible to Cincinnati, Lexington, Louisville, Springfield, and of course those in Columbus and Cleveland and 71 is pretty close as well. About an hour and half from Columbus, OH and Lexington, KY.

That’s just me dreaming though… watch this blog for more news as it comes!