Rumors suggested Wal Mart would open a store at the corner of 22nd and Adamo. But, it was announced today that Ikea is coming to Tampa in that spot. Just a month after breaking ground in Orlando, Ikea will build a store in the heart of Tampa at the former Tampa International Center.
Back in January, Carl Cronan guessed it would be in Brandon, but the 353,000 sq ft store and their 1,700 parking spaces will occupy the 29 acres where you see a huge bunch of warehousing. Yeah – 350,000 square feet right between Palmetto Beach and Ybor City. It will be an interesting site.
Apparently those that buy the furniture and have experience with the company are gaga over the entire operation. There are even fan sites for the furniture store, such as Positive Fanatics and The Ikea Hacker. And even fan sites for singular items – a desk called the jerker, for example.
Of course, you can always buy the furniture on IKEA.com.
So – who among you have any experience with IKEA’s products?
Rachel*
2 years ago
When I was seventeen, I furnished my entire apartment for about five grand, so I thought IKEA was fantastic.
Within a year, I had cracked the bed frame straight down the center of one of the beams and, even though everything else held up decently, I was glad to get rid of it, because it’s really just very crappy, flimsy furniture, but at fair price points and with a slick marketing team.
tim
2 years ago
I also furnished my entire house with IKEA furniture back home in Ohio. I guess I’m not, uh, as hard on it, because mine’s still in fantastic shape. Yes, it’s cheap and flimsy, but it’s leaps and bounds better than the standard crap people fill their house with.
If anything, they have really fantastic lamps and kitchen supplies, so I’m kind of psyched about this news.
Mike
2 years ago
I for one am glad to see them come to town locally. Yes, their stuff is cheap – but they’re kind of like the Old Navy of furniture. It doesn’t last very long, but that’s okay because if it did it would be out of style anyway.
WP
2 years ago
For those items you actually get atop, sit in, sit on, lie on, , I’d say it’s good starter furniture. Inexpensive, and it holds up moderately well under normal use but look to retire it in a year or two(or hand it down to a student, younger sibling, etc.) For furnishing modern, compact living spaces, they’re hard to beat, particularly in the storage-type pieces. Wardrobes, storage shelves, entertainment centers, whole-wall units, these folks really know how maximize space and do it with stylish flair. They also do small utility items(flatware, utensils, kitchen gadgets) rather well “on the cheap.” I regularly carry a French-press I purchased from IKEA when I travel, which is a lot. Made the two-hour trek into Seattle just for IKEA fairly often when I was out West. Having one so close might be dangerous.
Jose
2 years ago
Wow. This totally makes up for getting two crematories in Ybor! I LOVE Ikea. Yes it’s furniture is cheap but it’s modern and you can find some really great items. What Tampa needs is a modern furniture store, a needed relief to rooms-to-go (yuck) and that overpriced crap they sell at Robb and Stucky and Scan Design.
britt
2 years ago
We’ve got a set of three 80″ floating shelves from Ikea that everyone always asks about. Same look as BoConcept, standard construction and installation, fine quality for something on the wall that you just look at, and about $20 each vs $200+. A lot of their stuff is practically disposable, but they do some things really well.
Jan Wesner
2 years ago
I bought a few things at Ikea while living in Germany. It is inexpensive, ready-to-assemble furniture, but a big step up from your ready-to-assemble stuff sold at Target or Wal-Mart. Make that two big steps up.
The style is definitely contemporary, definitely European.
Besides great bookshelves and storage units, they also carry some really cool kids’ furniture. And I don’t know if they Ikea stores do this, but in Germany they have a supervised play area where you can leave your child while you shop. That’s right, free childcare while you shop!!! U.S. liability laws will probably make that impossible here. Damn.
blogs.tampabay.com
Jan Wesner
2 years ago
just noticed my typo above and don’t know how to edit it — meant to say “I don’t know if the Ikea stores here do this …”
Meredith
2 years ago
“This totally makes up for getting two crematories in Ybor!”
That’s the funniest statement I have read all day. !Viva Ikea!
Tyler
2 years ago
This store will be literally blocks from my current office and I currently furnish “Ikea-style” anyway, so I’m excited. I guess the Box Factory Loft residents have a place to buy furniture now. Makes me sad for the local independents that live in the Ikea niche, ie. Davani’s because I doubt they’ll be able to draw with the same power as Ikea.
dreaming
2 years ago
hooray for ikea. now if tampa could only get a trader joe’s, there might be hope….
PortTampa
2 years ago
Ikea in Ybor is a perfect fit and though the Euromodern style is not to everyone’s taste the housewares and storage pieces are worth a visit by themselves. In Northern Va. they have the supervised play area and the Trib story yesterday said they plan to have one here. As already mentioned a lot of the pieces can be considered “starter furniture.” However I have some kitchen stuff I couldn’t live with out including a wall mounted pot rack and a magnetic bar for holding knives. Sturdy stuff at half the price the kitchen specialty stores wanted. Oh, and if they live up to their typical MO the service will be much better than Tampans are accustomed to in mass retailing. BTW-Brandon wouldn’t make sense. Ikea shoppers are more fashion forward and urban than that.
WP
2 years ago
dreaming, I’ve heard that at least one local commercial development group is currently courting TJ’s. Let’s keep our finger’s crossed.
dcdave
2 years ago
Yes! I grew up with Ikea at Potomac Mills, and in Brussels. I’ve had 90% Ikea furniture since I was a kid. Their stuff is definitely stylish, cheap and effective. A couple words of warning… build this furniture by yourself. Doing this as a team will result in poked out eyes and alan wrench injuries. Also, don’t buy this stuff if you plan on moving. Ikea furniture is great when standing still, but will completely collapse on a moving truck.
WP
2 years ago
Similarly dcdave, as Johnny 5 would say, “No Disassemble!” It never quite goes back together as well you’d hope.
Anonymous
2 years ago
I would say about 75% of my furniture is IKEA that I have paid to have shipped here. Even with shipping it is still cheaper and better quality than most of the other furniture stores out there. I have had NO problems with the quality and I have everything from pots and pans, chairs, couches, lamps, storage pieces, etc.
christal
2 years ago
I love Ikea and even though I live in jacksonville I am very excited about this news because I will be moving to Tampa in december. I have purchased many pieces from Ikea and have had no problems at all
Todd
2 years ago
Love Ikea, although I don’t get a chance to shop in the store since the closest is 4 hrs away. When we get to Atl or DC (Potomac Mills), we always seem to end up in the cafe for meatballs and french fries. I used to live in Germany and Ikea was as common there as Home Depot is here. Decent furniture, I figure the stuff was good for about three, then it started showing it’s age. The linens and cookware and knicknack were always a good deal for a starter home/college type setup. I’ve got a jerker desk that is now at least 10yrs old, my wife (of 5 yrs) is making me sell it. Apparently the wife acceptance factor (WAF explained here: http://www.boston.com/business/technology/articles/2004/06/28/waf_wife_acceptance_factor/) is a factor, even if your stuff predates her. Now that I think about it, the only thing I have left that is pre marriage is a tv, and some old computer junk I can’t seem to throw away.
Alton
2 years ago
We just opened a new cutting edge furniture design store in Tampa two weeks ago. IKEA is great, but MiamiModern is higher end than IKEA. We represent companies such as Kartell, Artemide, Alivar, Bernhardt Designs, and designers such as Philippe Starck, Patricia Urquiola and Ross Lovegrove. We are located in Hyde Park at 2201 W. Dekle Avenue, 813 251.6000. If you like Ikea, you’ll love Miami Modern. Come see us.
Modern Furniture Guy
1 year ago
IKEA has been one of the place to buy modern furniture for some time now, but there are many more store coming up with really great designs.