FILIPINO fans of Swedish home furnishing retailer Ikea—from those who've visited its numerous stores around the world, to those who've seen its furniture on the internet—can now rejoice as it is set to open its first-ever store in the Philippines.
Here are five things we know about the project for now:
Part of the Family
Ikea has more than 422 stores in 50 countries. And the Philippines is finally part of that list of countries that has an Ikea store. Soon, you'll get to furnish your home with its wide-range of home products.
To the North
It is set to open by late 2020. Announced on Tuesday, construction is underway and the store will be situated at the Mall of Asia (MOA) in Pasay City. Okay, so technically, it's not opening anytime soon (so no meatballs yet). But, hey! There's plenty of time to save up for that furniture you've so longed for to buy. You never know, it might be there.
Crazy Plenty
Expect more than 8,000 products coming your way. That's what it says in its website: www.ikea.ph. Prepare those mood boards/inspiration boards, people!
Number One
The Ikea store in the Philippines will occupy 65,000 square meters with its five floors. Most of the space will be dedicated for retail while the rest of the space will be allocated for a warehouse, call center, and e-commerce facility. This will surpass Korea's Ikea—a 60,000 square meter store.
Additional Jobs
With Ikea having a store in the country, this means more job opportunities. It is expected to hire as many as 500 people—or more—once operational. (MRL)