IKEA Opens Its Oxford Street Store

IKEA opened on Oxford Street on May 1, Fortune reported. The London opening adds a central shopping address to the retailer's presence in the United Kingdom, bringing furniture displays and smaller household purchases into the same city-centre visit.

Three floors in a historic building

According to Ingka Group's opening announcement, the store occupies 5,800 square metres across three floors at 214 Oxford Street. The seven-storey, Grade II listed building was renovated by Ingka Investments. The company reports 150 workers at the store.

The address combines a familiar retailer with an existing urban building. Its role differs from a large destination surrounded by parking: people can include the shop in a journey already taking them through central London. That changes the relationship between browsing, choosing a product and carrying it home.

A visit arranged across levels

Ingka's March description of the layout put London-inspired displays at street level, room settings on the next floor down and a market hall on the lowest level. Planning consultations cover kitchens and bedroom storage. Larger purchases can be ordered for delivery or collection elsewhere.

Three kinds of shopping task

• Look at a furnished setting and compare possible arrangements.
• Discuss measurements and storage needs during a planning appointment.
• Choose a smaller item that can be carried away after the visit.

The store within the wider property

The opening announcement also describes four office floors and three additional retail outlets within the building's wider plans. The IKEA shop therefore forms part of a mixed-use property, rather than occupying every floor behind the street frontage.

This is one way an established shopping address can accommodate a new use. The refurbishment preserves the building as a recognisable part of the street while reorganising space for different occupants. The opening provides a concrete example of the retailer's move towards smaller urban locations.