We've got some exciting news for all you furniture-loving, meatball-craving peeps out there - New Zealand’s first-ever IKEA officially has an opening date.
When is IKEA opening in NZ?
Located at Sylvia Park in Auckland, this mammoth-sized IKEA store - 34,000m2 to be exact - is set to open its doors to the public on December 4th.
“It’s really a great privilege to be a part of bringing IKEA to New Zealand,” Fabian Winterbine, Expansion Manager for IKEA Australia and New Zealand, said in a statement this morning.
IKEA New Zealand Market Manager, Johanna Cederlöf, said: “My team and I are eagerly counting down the days until December 4 when we will welcome our first New Zealand customers."
The announcement of IKEA hitting our shores came all the way back in 2019, and construction began on the store in June 2023.
Parking at IKEA Sylvia Park
With three floors to explore and a ground-level car park, you'll have plenty of space to find that perfect piece of furniture to complete your space.
Shoppers heading to both IKEA and Sylvia Park will find the trip a lot smoother, with upgraded roads, improved pedestrian access, and a new covered walkway over Te Ahoterangi Rise. The bridge lets visitors park once and wander easily between the mall and the big blue box.
And let's not forget about the food. The new IKEA store will have 426 seats at the in-store Swedish restaurant and bistro that will serve up famous meatballs and hot dogs and some exclusive New Zealand "quick bites".
And fear not, our non-meat-eating friends, because there will be plant-based versions of these Swedish classics as well. YES!
What is IKEA 'buy back' service?
IKEA will be offering a 'Buy Back' service for second hand furniture. Customers can return preloved IKEA products in exchange for an IKEA gift card. The products will then be able to be bought second hand in an "as is" section, giving them a new life in a new home.
IKEA goes green
As with all IKEA stores, sustainability is at the core of any development. In today's announcement it was confirmed the Sylvia Park store achieved a 5 Green Star rating from the New Zealand Green Building Council.
The store feature over 1700 solar panels to generate 40% of its energy, rain water harvesting, electric vehicle chargers in the car park and 100% LED lighting. IKEA is stepping up its green game, and we're here for it.
We've been eagerly waiting for the day we can walk through those iconic IKEA doors and say 'hej' to the world of Swedish design.
Looks like it’s only a few more months to tick off on the calendar until that time finally arrives.
