Ikea will open its first Manhattan store

Major news out of Ikea HQ this morning: The Swedish home goods empire will open in Manhattan in the spring of 2019. The location will nationally launch the global brand’s city-center store concept called the Ikea Planning Studio, allowing it to permeate dense urban markets where securing square footage for warehouse space is less feasible.

The location at 999 Third Avenue, between East 59th and East 60th streets and directly across the street from Bloomingdales’ 59th Street flagship, will not be a full-fledged buy and carry operation like in Red Hook or Elizabeth, NJ. Instead, it will “give customers the opportunity to discover, select and order Ikea products for delivery to their home, which is what urban residents want and need,” a press release reads. So in short, expect to be able to view furniture, but don’t expect to leave the premises with a Friheten sleeper sofa (or any other furniture item) in tow.

Ikea is still building out the concept, but a spokesperson for the brand told Curbed that it also doesn’t expect smaller items like picture frames and bowls to be available to buy and carry at the site, either. Nor is the store expected to host Ikea’s beloved cafe.

“We recognize that we are in a rapidly changing retail environment, and to be fit for long-term growth, Ikea is transforming in a way that lets us meet our customers where they are,” said Lars Petersson, Country Manager, Ikea Retail U.S. “New York City is the natural choice to open the first city center store – the most vibrant, dynamic city in the US, and the epicenter of retail, business, and culture.”

In addition to opening the Manhattan outpost, Ikea will also remodel its Red Hook store (though what exactly that will entail isn’t specified.) That project is expected to wrap up by the end of 2019.

• All Ikea coverage [Curbed]