IKEA

[Triggerman]

Definitely North OKC somewhere. That would be closer for those from Wichita and Tulsa.

I made several trips to IKEA in Frisco and Grand Prairie in the past 3-4 months. I always see cars upon cars with Oklahoma plates. It's about damn time, IKEA. Nashville not having one is a head scratcher. They were slated to get one; had a location picked and everything, but IKEA cited a change in business model and such.

They have a lot to work to do, though. Their e-commerce strategy is piss poor for a worldwide company like they are.


Ikea’s e-commerce was already pretty bad. During COVID-19, it absolutely fell apart

I remember a few cities that were slated to get IKEAs but their "model" changed and cancelled the plans-- like you said Nashville. Also Carey NC and Fort Worth, TX ( DFW's 3rd IKEA if it actually happened).

[mgharfeh]

Any updates? Lol wishful thinking

[Pete]

No, and I think we can give up on them coming here for the foreseeable future.

I recently went to their location in Frisco and had forgotten how much I don't like their stuff. I used to shop there a lot when I first moved to California but you can buy much better quality for less elsewhere, especially with the rise of online stores like Wayfair. Target actually has some decent things, particularly online.

And of course, you can buy almost everything at IKEA online.

[WenDragon]

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money...s/11688192002/

Maybe it’s time for OKC?

[Bits_Of_Real_Panther]

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money...s/11688192002/

Maybe it’s time for OKC?

Craving Swedish meatballs 😋

[jedicurt]

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money...s/11688192002/

Maybe it’s time for OKC?

i heard that even some of the pickup locations they are looking at will have the restaurant part. so you can plan to go eat there when you have some show up from your orders. i would be okay with OKC just getting one of those.

[midtownokcer]

It's time they put one here. OKC and Nashville are the two largest cities in the US without one. Nashville had one planned before IKEA brought the axe to it back in 2018.

[fortpatches]

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money...s/11688192002/

Maybe it’s time for OKC?

Any idea how we can reach out and let them know we want one here?

[roci28]

[Plutonic Panda]

One is coming

[scottk]

One is coming

To Tulsa

I would love for one to come to OKC, but depending on how IKEA enters markets, the location in Frisco doesn't help. If you go there on a weekend a 25-40% the parking lot is Oklahoma plates.

Tulsa would pull from OKC, Northwest Arkansas and maybe even Joplin/Springfield or Wichita.

[Rover]

Okc pulls Tulsa, Wichita, Amarillo. And, it’s own population is by far the biggest of those.

[Plutonic Panda]

I don’t think Tulsa will get it. IKEA would select NWA before Tulsa.

[Swake]

OKC + Tulsa + Wichita + Amarillo + Ft Smith has 3.8 million people
Tulsa + OKC + Wichita + NWA + Joplin + Ft Smith has 4.4 million people

That said, I think OKC gets IKEA first.

[Plutonic Panda]

Irrelevant given Nashville doesn’t have one but yes I’d agree OKC gets one first and I’d be surprised if Tulsa gets one but TBH they should. It would do well.

[fortpatches]

If OKC gets a full store, they may do a "Plan & Order" store in NWA, kinda split the difference here.

[Rover]

Will this company have a location here? It is hard to say. I have had people in stores I wanted to see here tell me they were planning Oklahoma City locations because most people insist on telling a person what they want to hear instead of the truth. As it turns out, usually, no location comes here.

This one in particular? I doubt it. Why? With the domination of the brothers Mathis, Bob Mills, et al, major chains will not invest in Oklahoma City because they know they can not make a profit here.

Do not hold your breath.

IKEA is not in the least intimidated by Mathis Bros. Besides, they are WAY different kinds of stores with WAY different appeal. IKEA will always get theirs.

[Rover]

OKC + Tulsa + Wichita + Amarillo + Ft Smith has 3.8 million people
Tulsa + OKC + Wichita + NWA + Joplin + Ft Smith has 4.4 million people

That said, I think OKC gets IKEA first.

The OKC area of dominant influence is the 45th largest in the US and Tulsa's is 59th. And, it's own MSA is about 40% larger than Tulsa's. And, it is growing faster. Tulsa median household income is appx $7,000 less than OKC. By all objective measures, OKC is the dominant economic area.

[Bowser214]

OKC is closer to the IKEA distribution center in Houston. They might even open up another distribution center in N Texas to serve all 4 area locations.

[midtownokcer]

OKC is closer to the IKEA distribution center in Houston. They might even open up another distribution center in N Texas to serve all 4 area locations.

Is the KC location served by the Houston distribution center?

[April in the Plaza]

The OKC area of dominant influence is the 45th largest in the US and Tulsa's is 59th. And, it's own MSA is about 40% larger than Tulsa's. And, it is growing faster. Tulsa median household income is appx $7,000 less than OKC. By all objective measures, OKC is the dominant economic area.

This is beautifully said

[Bowser214]

Good question. I don't know.

[Swake]

So I looked it up.

Oklahoma City's population within a 150 mile radius is 4,243,414 with a growth rate of +5.9%
Tulsa's population within a 150 mile radius is 5,675,178 with a growth rate of +6.6%

And for IKEA purposes a good portion of OKC's 150 mile radius is in north Texas and closer to Frisco than OKC.
OKC's population within 150 miles excluding the part of the radius in Texas is 3,833,739

At a 25 mile radius OKC has 1,459,380 people to Tulsa's 1,034,123. That's an easy choice for OKC, but not the 150 mile radius. It will come down to what is more important to IKEA, the immediate area or the larger regional area.
https://www.statsamerica.org/radius/big.aspx

I still say it's probably Oklahoma City, but I can certainly see them in Tulsa. I will guess that one of the cities gets a location this time and the other gets a smaller order point location.

[AnguisHerba]

So I looked it up.

Oklahoma City's population within a 150 mile radius is 4,243,414 with a growth rate of +5.9%
Tulsa's population within a 150 mile radius is 5,675,178 with a growth rate of +6.6%

And for IKEA purposes a good portion of OKC's 150 mile radius is in north Texas and closer to Frisco than OKC.
OKC's population within 150 miles excluding the part of the radius in Texas is 3,833,739

At a 25 mile radius OKC has 1,459,380 people to Tulsa's 1,034,123. That's an easy choice for OKC, but not the 150 mile radius. It will come down to what is more important to IKEA, the immediate area or the larger regional area.
https://www.statsamerica.org/radius/big.aspx

I still say it's probably Oklahoma City, but I can certainly see them in Tulsa. I will guess that one of the cities gets a location this time and the other gets a smaller order point location.

This is a great point. If located in Tulsa, then IKEA could grab the OKC, Tulsa, and rapidly growing NW Arkansas (Bentonville/Fayetteville/Springdale) markets together.

Edit: forgot Ft. Smith and Joplin too.

[GoGators]

So I looked it up.

Oklahoma City's population within a 150 mile radius is 4,243,414 with a growth rate of +5.9%
Tulsa's population within a 150 mile radius is 5,675,178 with a growth rate of +6.6%

And for IKEA purposes a good portion of OKC's 150 mile radius is in north Texas and closer to Frisco than OKC.
OKC's population within 150 miles excluding the part of the radius in Texas is 3,833,739

At a 25 mile radius OKC has 1,459,380 people to Tulsa's 1,034,123. That's an easy choice for OKC, but not the 150 mile radius. It will come down to what is more important to IKEA, the immediate area or the larger regional area.
https://www.statsamerica.org/radius/big.aspx

I still say it's probably Oklahoma City, but I can certainly see them in Tulsa. I will guess that one of the cities gets a location this time and the other gets a smaller order point location.

I'm actually a bit surprised those numbers are as close as they are. The western side of the state kills OKC when using measurement like this. Tulsa is definitely centered in a more populated region overall.