Swedish furniture retailer IKEA opened its biggest store in the Southeast Asia region on November 16, 2017. Malaysia’s Johor Bahru houses the store which is spread over an area of 502,815 square feet.
IKEA Southeast Asia’s Retail Director Mike King and Johor’s Tourism, Domestic Trade and Consumerism Committee Chairman Tee Siew Kiong were present during the inauguration ceremony of the store.
The company aims to create a healthy competition among other furniture providers in the region.
“IKEA store in Johor would ultimately set another benchmark for home furnishing market in the region.
Our green store concept would also inspire people to adopt environment-friendly practices,” said Mike.
The home furnishing retail giant has launched this store in view of the increasing demand in the local market and the changing urban lifestyle.
“The home furnishing products showcased at the store are well-suited for the local market and their increasingly urbanised way of life,” said Store Manager Annie Chandler.
The store will feature more than 8,000 home furnishings; offer food at the IKEA Restaurant, Bistro and Swedish Food Market; and a play area for kids.
Around 300 workers have been appointed for the smooth functioning of the newly launched store.
IKEA is investing aggressively in the Malaysian market.
The company recently invested around Malaysian Ringgit 600 million to open a retail store (spread over 40,227 square metres) in Penang.
IKEA will also introduce its online services in Malaysia by 2018 to expand its reach.
Malaysia has been one of the key focus markets for IKEA as the stores in the country have reported higher sales for the company over the years.
