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General Retail News - Printable Version

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RE: General Retail News - ookpik - 11-24-2015

More info in the Record: Ikea to open scaled-down outlet in Kitchener next spring 
Quote:The pickup and order centre will go into a former Sears furniture store at 130 Gateway Park Dr., off Sportsworld Drive in south Kitchener, and open in spring 2016... The new outlet will occupy just over 30,000 square feet — about one tenth the size of a full-service Ikea store...

The outlet will feature a display area where people can get design ideas, as well as staff who can help people with their orders. Customers can place orders at the store, and pick them up for a reduced delivery fee two days later. But people can't actually go to the store and pick up items on impulse...

A customer could go into the pickup centre and work with an Ikea adviser to order a new kitchen and then have it delivered to the outlet two days later for about $99, rather than a fee of about $400 to get the goods delivered from the Ikea full-service store in Burlington...

The announcement doesn't rule out the possibility of a full-service store coming to Kitchener later, he said. The population of Waterloo Region and Guelph is more than 500,000, he noted, and "that is a fantastic potential for us as a retailer to establish in this market. That means that customers, new customers in this surrounding area, will have the opportunity to interact with Ikea."

"We have identified Kitchener as a really interesting market," he said. If the new outlet proves successful, "of course we'll look into if we can build a store here as well."



RE: General Retail News - BuildingScout - 11-24-2015

(11-24-2015, 05:18 PM)ookpik Wrote: More info in the Record: Ikea to open scaled-down outlet in Kitchener next spring 
Quote:"We have identified Kitchener as a really interesting market," he said. If the new outlet proves successful, "of course we'll look into if we can build a store here as well."

My bet is that with 50K students in town they will be surprised how brisk sales are, and a store will follow in not too long after.


RE: General Retail News - DHLawrence - 11-24-2015

Can't wait to see if this has a knock-on effect for the rest of Sportsworld/Gateway Park - especially with the Grand River Woods development now under construction.


RE: General Retail News - KevinL - 11-24-2015

In response to the fearmongering comment above, Ikea is well known and documented for their sustainable practices. Many of their items are designed to be self-assembled, yes, but their quality is excellent all the same.


RE: General Retail News - tomh009 - 11-25-2015

(11-24-2015, 03:24 PM)Section ThirtyOne Wrote:
(11-24-2015, 01:47 PM)clasher Wrote: I'm glad there isn't a regular ikea coming to town, they're huge traffic nightmares and their products are cheap garbage that's probably made by near sweatshop labour and out of poached timber. They're like a wal-mart that specializes in furniture and they have slick marketing that makes people feel good about it.

Can't say I necessarily agree with this statement. Like many retailers, I find you have to pick and choose what you're buying from Ikea. While they do have a lot of crap that was designed to meet a price point, they do have a lot of items that are well engineered and offer good value. Kitchen cabinets are one item that jump out at me as being a good quality item.

We still have Ivar shelving, with original pieces purchased in the 1980s.  More bought many times over the years, not a single piece has broken, and the new ones are still compatible with the originals.  Poang chairs are also very well made, for a second example.

Look at what you are buying, and you will find excellent choices at IKEA as long as you don't automatically buy the least expensive choice.


RE: General Retail News - panamaniac - 11-25-2015

The chatter about IKEA has me wondering whether there is any news about the new furniture store that was supposed to open up somewhere in the southern or south-western boonies of Kitchener? If I recall, it was a Windsor chain expanding up here.


RE: General Retail News - neonjoe - 11-25-2015

(08-20-2015, 10:12 PM)Spokes Wrote: Sunrise is looking a lot like the Boardwalk lately.  Same ownership?

(11-25-2015, 01:00 AM)panamaniac Wrote: The chatter about IKEA has me wondering whether there is any news about the new furniture store that was supposed to open up somewhere in the southern or south-western boonies of Kitchener?  If I recall, it was a Windsor chain expanding up here.

Tepperman's is under construction at the corner of Fischer Hallman and Huron.


RE: General Retail News - plam - 11-25-2015

(11-25-2015, 12:30 AM)tomh009 Wrote: We still have Ivar shelving, with original pieces purchased in the 1980s.  More bought many times over the years, not a single piece has broken, and the new ones are still compatible with the originals.  Poang chairs are also very well made, for a second example.

Look at what you are buying, and you will find excellent choices at IKEA as long as you don't automatically buy the least expensive choice.

Yes, I've also heard that IKEA cupboards are good. My experience is that the cheap stuff will be OK if you don't try to move it. The not-cheapest stuff is OK but comparably priced to other options elsewhere.


RE: General Retail News - ookpik - 11-25-2015

As usual, you get what you pay for. IKEA's cheapest stuff tends to be cheaply made. For example the "wood" is very low density that will warp or break easily. Also the "veneer" is thin plastic film that comes off easily. But if you spend a bit more you'll get good value. For instance the Billy bookcases we bought 30+ years ago are still being used and still in great shape even after several moves. Similar bookcases and shelving we bought elsewhere has long since broken and been discarded. And the IKEA kitchen we installed in our office back in the 90s continues to be used, again even after a move. If I was going to redo our kitchen at home I'd seriously consider IKEA.

What seems a bit ironic to me it that criticism of IKEA comes on a forum that emphasizes good architecture and design. IKEA has always been a great promoter of Scandinavian design at price points that ordinary people can afford. Sure, their products will never be able to compete on quality with name brand Scandinavian manufacturers that are nice to look at and admire but few can afford. But for the rest of us IKEA offers great value.

Also while IKEA's founder may have been associated with pro-Nazi organizations in his youth, he's long since atoned, he's now gone and IKEA has continues to make substantial investments in socially and environmentally conscious causes.


RE: General Retail News - clasher - 11-25-2015

The Ikea bed that I have has drawers underneath it was over 400$ for the frame and the drawer bottoms are thin and flimsy MDF that can't really support putting clothes or blankets in them. The sliders don't really work all that well with anything in the drawers either. The frame itself is nice solid pieces of wood but the drawers are junk and useless. It might look slick but it's certainly not well designed for actual use.


RE: General Retail News - gomesjustin - 11-25-2015

IKEA is a great-company, socially responsible and good for communities! A FULL location in Kitch-Loo-Bridge would be awesome for this region! Yeah - most of the furniture won't last a few moves, but it looks modern, fits my twenty-something budget and doesn't weigh a ton when it comes to moving. 350+ jobs come with a larger-format store. 

And it's something else London can hate us for Wink


RE: General Retail News - KevinL - 11-25-2015

The Forest Glen No Frills has finished its reno. To cap it off, there's a new exterior wall and signage.

[Image: glNIS5H.png]


RE: General Retail News - panamaniac - 11-25-2015

Charming.....


RE: General Retail News - panamaniac - 11-28-2015

While checking out the Global Studios Open House today (it was excellent!), I came across a display of beautiful gift bags from Four Seasons Giftbag Company ( http://fourseasonsgiftbagco.com/ ). Six bags of different sizes sell for $75, which isn't cheap, but these are quality, Canadian-made, reusable bags. They come with reusable laminated gift tags. With Christmas coming, I thought I would mention it here - the woman I spoke with doesn't have a shop but the bags can be ordered on-line (she's in Waterloo). Sorry if this sounds like a commercial, but I thought they looked terrific and if you are as poor at wrapping gifts as I am ....


RE: General Retail News - tomh009 - 11-29-2015

(11-25-2015, 09:49 AM)ookpik Wrote: Also while IKEA's founder may have been associated with pro-Nazi organizations in his youth, he's long since atoned, he's now gone and IKEA has continues to make substantial investments in socially and environmentally conscious causes.

Not actively involved (he's 89 after all) as his sons have taken over management -- but he still effectively controls IKEA through the INGKA foundation.  Net worth is estimated to be anywhere from $4B to $40B (the corporate structure is quite opaque).

That said, I still believe IKEA s a good place to shop, as long as you choose carefully (check materials before you buy -- they do document them).