IKEA

[Mike_M]

My wife is from New York and loves IKEA. A year ago I went with her for the first time and as soon as I walked in I just looked at her and said, 'ya... IKEA is never coming to OKC' lol. My whole life, OKC's residential market has been completely suburban, mostly because our urban core was a total joke and there was no reason to live downtown.

But now with places like the Hill, Level, and all the other downtown residences, not to mention midtown and the surrounding area being filled faster than they can expand, you're going to see more minimalist furniture stores like IKEA moving into the market. Mathis Bros will still dominate the market for the foreseeable future, but I can see modern furniture moving up pretty soon. I would say Container Store would have to move in and be successful before we see an IKEA though.

[bombermwc]

I've found some pretty neat stuff at the Container Store. They do seem to often be close by an Ikea for some reason. LOL. They're a bit pricey for what you're getting, but it's sort of a specialty place anyway.

[ryanosu]

Wanted to point out that Ikea now charges a base $99 for furniture shipping to OKC (at least 73131 zip) - this is down from $299 they charged a couple of months ago. The shipping does get ratcheted up if you order a lot of stuff, but it's pretty reasonable - especially when you consider they're not collecting sales tax.

They have also greatly expanded the furniture selection available for online shopping. Ironically, the selection for smaller items (that would easily ship UPS/FedEx) is still somewhat lacking.

[BG918]

IKEA building their first St Louis area store. It will be the 39th in the U.S.
Ikea to announce St. Louis location : Business

[bchris02]

IKEA building their first St Louis area store. It will be the 39th in the U.S.
Ikea to announce St. Louis location : Business

I am really surprised St. Louis didn't already have a store. They are much larger than Kansas City, which has a store.

On a side note, is there any city the size of OKC that has an IKEA? Louisville, Richmond, and Memphis don't even have one, which are all cities most comparable to OKC but have done better in attracting national retail than we have. Cincinatti and Charlotte do, but they are both almost twice the size of OKC and I think they are on the smaller end of cities that do have a store.

My opinion is that an IKEA would be nice, but chances are slim that it would happen in OKC. Too many larger, more attractive markets are still without a store. There are other retailers this city could support and should have but for some reason doesn't i.e. Costco, Restoration Hardware, Crate & Barrel, the Container Store, Urban Outfitters, etc.

[BG918]

What's surprising is that it's going in St Louis, and not one of the western suburbs where most of this type of retail is located.

[bluedogok]

What's surprising is that it's going in St Louis, and not one of the western suburbs where most of this type of retail is located.

The City of St. Louis must have provided some incentives, that seems to be why they are built where they are now as was the case with Centennial, Round Rock and Frisco. The one in Houston (actually City of Houston) has been there a long time and I think it may be a franchise or something because the ads state often that prices may vary in Houston.

[flintysooner]

IKEA and furniture chains like Ethan Allen will discover they are dinosaurs in the next decade. Why would I choose furniture that comes in the wrong size, with the wrong finishes and limited choices, isn't customizable, isn't personal, and is constructed by someone I've never met?

The Maker Movement Manifesto: Rules for Innovation in the New World of Crafters, Hackers, and Tinkerers by Mark Hatch.

[Snowman]

IKEA and furniture chains like Ethan Allen will discover they are dinosaurs in the next decade. Why would I choose furniture that comes in the wrong size, with the wrong finishes and limited choices, isn't customizable, isn't personal, and is constructed by someone I've never met?

The Maker Movement Manifesto: Rules for Innovation in the New World of Crafters, Hackers, and Tinkerers by Mark Hatch.

While I can see some items market shrinking if if tools like 3D printing or other things get both cheaper to buy, operate and use; there will often be people not wanting to put up with the hassle or expend the time.

When I think about most crafters I know who have the skills to make cloths, blankets or other things, they will not make the majority of items they have in the house. Feature items around the house and embellishments on purchased basic items are much more common due to it is not worth the time to do it entirely themselves for everything.

[CuatrodeMayo]

The majority of the furniture in my home I made myself. True story.

[flintysooner]

While I can see some items market shrinking if if tools like 3D printing or other things get both cheaper to buy, operate and use; there will often be people not wanting to put up with the hassle or expend the time.

When I think about most crafters I know who have the skills to make cloths, blankets or other things, they will not make the majority of items they have in the house. Feature items around the house and embellishments on purchased basic items are much more common due to it is not worth the time to do it entirely themselves for everything.

Hatch (and others) believe that the so-called Maker culture is the next big thing and will surpass both the pc and Internet. It's not that an individual will make everything for their own use but that with the widespread availability of tools, technology, knowledge, and access to distribution that individual consumers will be able to more easily pair with small producers.

Think of the changes in the music industry but magnified many times and across many different industries.

The Maker culture is quite broad and is just now at the beginning. So it takes some imagination to think about what may be in the future. And certainly there is going to be lots of opposition.

[flintysooner]

The majority of the furniture in my home I made myself. True story.

I believe you and I very much admire the idea of it as well.

[hoya]

IKEA and furniture chains like Ethan Allen will discover they are dinosaurs in the next decade. Why would I choose furniture that comes in the wrong size, with the wrong finishes and limited choices, isn't customizable, isn't personal, and is constructed by someone I've never met?

The Maker Movement Manifesto: Rules for Innovation in the New World of Crafters, Hackers, and Tinkerers by Mark Hatch.

Because I just want a damn chair.

[Dustin]

Yeah, Ikea was of course a bit of humor; probably the least likely of everything I mentioned, and definitely could not locate anywhere in this location. They make Sam's Clubs look small and cozy.

Which is sad because Ikea would kill here.

[shawnw]

"Ikea you"

[bchris02]

What is the smallest metro that IKEA is currently in? I think Salt Lake City has one but they pull far above their weight and also have a significantly larger CSA.

[Urbanized]

Yeah, we're probably below the MSA population threshold for IKEA, but I agree with diggyba that it would likely kill here. Trendy and/or upscale retailers (yes, I know IKEA is not in any way upscale) are almost always floored by the response they get when locating here for the first time.

OKC metro residents are starving for shopping options, they will drive from all over, and they are voracious consumers. Unfortunately we are outliers when it comes to population/income density so when scouting location they tend to dismiss our city out-of-hand, which is a loss for them AND for us.

[Rover]

It would be interesting to know what the customer count is for Oklahomans that shop at the north Texas Ikea.

[adaniel]

^
I know of at least one delivery business that just does pick ups from IKEA to serve customers in Oklahoma, if that tells you anything. I forgot the name of it.

In any event, I highly doubt IKEA is coming to OKC anytime soon. Less to do with demographics and more to do with market size. They are just now getting around to putting a store in St Louis, which is more than double the population of OKC.

[CuatrodeMayo]

Ikea would do well here if for no other reason than price. You can't buy household good that cheap even at Walmart.

[warreng88]

I have always said it would go great in the UNP area of Norman if there was still room available or Covell and I-35 in Edmond. You would get all of Oklahoma's business plus the business of Arkansas, the eastern parts of Kansas and western parts of Missouri. The closest locations to them are Denver, Chicago or Indianapolis. I am pretty surprised KC doesn't have one since they would be kind of the center where people wouldn't have to travel more than five hours to get to a location.

[bchris02]

I have always said it would go great in the UNP area of Norman if there was still room available or Covell and I-35 in Edmond. You would get all of Oklahoma's business plus the business of Arkansas, the eastern parts of Kansas and western parts of Missouri. The closest locations to them are Denver, Chicago or Indianapolis. I am pretty surprised KC doesn't have one since they would be kind of the center where people wouldn't have to travel more than five hours to get to a location.

I would say it would be a better fit on Kilpatrick Turnpike near the new Chisolm Creek development. An OKC IKEA would pull business from Tulsa and Wichita. Southern Oklahoma might as well go to DFW and its just as easy if not easier to get the DFW from the Little Rock metro as it is to OKC.

[warreng88]

I would say it would be a better fit on Kilpatrick Turnpike near the new Chisolm Creek development. An OKC IKEA would pull business from Tulsa and Wichita. Southern Oklahoma might as well go to DFW and its just as easy if not easier to get the DFW from the Little Rock metro as it is to OKC.

Where were you thinking? Maybe to the area east of Western on the south side of the turnpike? I wouldn't be opposed to that, I just think a location right off I-35 would more easily serve more people traveling in from out of town.

[Plutonic Panda]

I have always said it would go great in the UNP area of Norman if there was still room available or Covell and I-35 in Edmond. You would get all of Oklahoma's business plus the business of Arkansas, the eastern parts of Kansas and western parts of Missouri. The closest locations to them are Denver, Chicago or Indianapolis. I am pretty surprised KC doesn't have one since they would be kind of the center where people wouldn't have to travel more than five hours to get to a location.

I think the best location for them would honestly be along Memorial Rd. on Kilpatrick, Fritts Farm or along I-35 in Norman by the airport.

Also, isn't KC getting an Ikea?

[oklip955]

I would say it would be a better fit on Kilpatrick Turnpike near the new Chisolm Creek development. An OKC IKEA would pull business from Tulsa and Wichita. Southern Oklahoma might as well go to DFW and its just as easy if not easier to get the DFW from the Little Rock metro as it is to OKC.

I'm posting to an earlier post. Who buys oak furnature today. Its me. I've had to look for used since I cannot find good quality oak new. I'm changing out stained pine trim for good red oak. I love it. I hate painted wood and the other looks (cheap quality stuff) that is in style now. I cannot belive all the plastic doors they are putting in homes today. Good quality doors are just about $5 more per door.