Ikea opens store in Downtown San Francisco

Ikea is opening a new store in downtown San Francisco on Wednesday, hoping to buck two trends. First: the Swedish furniture giant is betting globally that it can lure shoppers and office workers into smaller, pared-back stores in city centres, rather than relying on cavernous warehouses on the outskirts. The new, three-level store will cover 52,000 square feet (Ikea’s average store size is 300,000 square feet) and offer a look at 27 different rooms with a focus on “small space living” – any big items like sofas will only be available to order for delivery. Second: Ikea wants to succeed where other San Francisco retailers have failed. Since Ikea purchased the site for $260 million in 2020, says CNN, around 40 stores in the same Union Square area have closed, in part as workers stay away from the office post-pandemic. At least Ikea has meatballs – the San Francisco store will offer a 68-seat sit down “Swedish deli”. 

Photograph Jeffrey Greenberg/ Getty Images