Swedish home furnishing retailer IKEA has begun construction on its future urban format location in The Aura at College Park in Toronto. It will become the first location of its kind in Canada for the retailer occupying a smaller footprint than other stores over multiple levels.
According to the new Ikea.ca/torontodowntown webpage, the store is projected to open in early 2022. With the format being designed to cater to downtown Toronto’s 300,000 residents, the retailer has decided on a more seamless experience.
The 66,175 square-foot location will feature more than 2,000 IKEA products for purchase and immediate takeaway, while larger items will be on display and available for home delivery.
According to IKEA, the store will offer a “unique new food concept”, while also providing other services to “support a seamless shopping experience”.
The website also shares a link to a jobs portal, which as of publishing has not listed any roles in the new store.
Retail Insider has been following this story since February 2021, when the restaurants in the commercial podium exited. Scaddabush Italian Kitchen & Bar, Reds Midtown Tavern, and Duke’s Refresher & Bar closed after reaching an agreement with the landlord Canderel. Bed Bath & Beyond left the Aura in March just prior to the official announcement from IKEA.
“The acquisition of the Aura Retail Podium marks our entry into the Canadian market,” said Cindy Andersen, Ingka Centres Managing Director. “Downtown Toronto is a super connected and dynamic place where people live, work, study and come to meet and have fun. It is in line with our strategic vision to invest in urban locations and to be closer to our customers”.
IKEA has continued to open smaller format stores in major markets globally, with Toronto being the next to showcase the format.
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Additional Images from The Aura (Photos: Dustin Fuhs)
I am so happy to have an Ikea on downtown Toronto as I used to shop in Itobicoke which is VERY far for me. I live in downtown Toronto.