Ottawa’s IKEA store re-opened its doors Wednesday to a brand new facility and crowds of shoppers and browsers alike. Ottawa city police were on hand to direct the huge volume of traffic that showed up on opening day.
A little over a year in the making, it’s now the largest IKEA store in Canada.
“It’s been a lot of learning, it’s been a lot of challenges, all these deadlines—because of course we wanted to open on time. So wow what a ride, it’s been fantastic,” said store manager Isabel Auclair.
The new store is more energy-efficient and even provides “preferred green parking” for hybrid cars.
Customers can recycle light bulbs and batteries in the store, and energy and water consumption along with the amount of waste generated are monitored to minimize waste and be as environmentally friendly as possible.
But it’s the shopping that people come for, and the two floors offer a product line that has more than doubled.
Of course, there are still those unpronounceable names that are meaningful in Sweden—sofas are named after cities and lakes, lighting after musical instruments, and textiles have women’s names.
There are maps throughout the store to help shoppers navigate their way.
As usual, many vignettes showcase the furnishings and products. Some room settings look like self-contained mini-apartments or dorms complete with kitchen, dining, and living areas. Others have a more luxurious approach, such as kitchens with granite countertops and cherrywood cabinets and bedrooms with custom storage.
Eat in or take home
You won’t go hungry while shopping as the second-floor restaurant seats 640 people and is licensed for beer and wine.
“The nice thing about this bigger restaurant is that I will be able to offer the full menu at all times. That’s a nice change for all of us,” said Troy, the head chef.
The Bistro or exit café is on the ground floor and continues to offer the famous hot dogs, yogurt cones, and cinnamon buns.
The adjacent Swedish Food Market, now four times larger, offers the entire private label line of IKEA foods, including a new range of salmon: smoked, marinated, and a gravalox that is both smoked and marinated.
“My favourite sandwich is the shrimp and egg sandwich. It’s a traditional Swedish dish. The recipe we serve here has been around for 100 years, but I love it. That and a nice bowl of soup is my favourite meal,” said Troy.
The old store will be refurbished and occupied by the Sears Home store in May or June 2012.
The old Sears building will be torn down to provide more parking and better traffic flow as people will be picking up larger furniture at the same site instead of at the warehouse on Morrison Drive, which is now closed.
“We’re all pretty proud of ourselves and excited to open the store,” said Auclair.
