IKEA Sets Opening Date For Sarasota Store: Here's What Shoppers Can Expect

SARASOTA, FL — IKEA's new Sarasota store will open Nov. 18, giving shoppers in the area a closer option for the Swedish retailer's home furnishings, accessories and food.

The store, located at 147 N. Cattlemen Road in University Town Center's West District, will open at 10 a.m. on Nov. 18, and remain open until 8 p.m., according to the IKEA website.

Beginning Nov. 19, regular hours will be 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.

The opening date comes several months after IKEA announced plans in April to bring its sixth traditional Florida store to Sarasota. The company initially was targeting a late-summer opening.

Unlike the retailer's traditional big-box stores, the Sarasota location will have a smaller footprint, at approximately 48,000 square feet.

The brand’s stores traditionally span about 300,000 square feet, the Business Observer reported.

The UTC store will feature more than 5,000 products on display, with more than 3,000 items available for shoppers to take home immediately, the company said in a news release. Those include accessories, lighting, textiles and more than 100 smaller furniture pieces.

Larger items, including sofas and beds, will be available to order online or in the store for pickup or home delivery. IKEA's Sarasota location won’t have a self-service furniture warehouse where customers can collect larger items themselves.

The smaller format is part of IKEA's broader retail strategy, the Business Observer previously reported.

“At Ikea, our focus is on making it easier for more people to access affordable, well-designed home furnishings,” interim CEO of Ikea U.S. Rob Olson says in a statement, according to the outlet. “Opening a new store in Sarasota builds on our broader efforts to meet customers where they are.”

Shoppers will be able to explore furnished room settings and get ideas for home projects, while a central planning area will offer one-on-one consultations with IKEA experts, the company said. Planning services will include help with kitchens, bedrooms, bathrooms and small-space living solutions.

The store will also feature a Swedish Bite counter, where customers can find IKEA favorites including meatballs, plant balls, hot dogs, veggie dogs and cinnamon buns. Some Swedish food items will also be available to take home.

An As-Is section will offer gently used and discontinued products at reduced prices, according to the company's announcement.

IKEA is promoting early Black Friday deals and other sales for the new Sarasota store on its website, including 30 percent off sectionals and sofas, up to 20 percent off select dining tables, and 20 percent off select dinnerware through Nov. 24.

The company's other Florida stores are in Tampa, Miami, Orlando, Jacksonville and Sunrise. There are also several smaller “plan and order” points with pickup at select Best Buy locations around the state, including Lakeland, Boynton Beach, Waterford Lakes, Daytona Beach and Melbourne.

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