"It's great that I can see and buy IKEA products close to home instead of having to drive all the way to Busan," said a 40-year-old man, holding a shopping bag at the new IKEA store in Daegu on the morning of September 17.
The long-awaited permanent IKEA store in Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province has finally opened. After testing the local demand with a pop-up store in 2023, IKEA established its first location in the Shinsegae Department Store in downtown Daegu. On the opening day, customers flocked to the store, creating a scene of 'open run' even before the official opening time. To manage crowd density, IKEA issued 150 waiting tickets and guided customers to enter in phases via KakaoTalk notifications.
The Daegu store is the third urban store in the country and the largest among similar locations. A representative from the store noted, "As the first offline store serving the entire North Gyeongsang region, we are seeing significant traffic from nearby areas as well."
Sales manager Lee Kyung-mi explained, "This urban store features the most showrooms, with six in total. We focused on 'organization and storage' solutions, considering the characteristics of Daegu customers who often live in apartments and are interested in space utilization." The store showcases living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and studies that reflect the actual living environments of Daegu residents, catering to single-person households, couples, and families with children.
The store offers over 900 products, including 64 types of small furniture like tables and chairs that customers can purchase on-site. For larger items that are difficult to carry, customers can consult with staff and place orders online. Delivery and logistics are managed from the Busan Gijang hub.
A 30-year-old woman visiting the store expressed satisfaction, saying, "It's great to see and buy products with good value and design right here in Daegu. I think the 2030 generation will respond very positively to this."
The food areas, 'Swedish Bite' and 'Swedish Food Market,' were bustling with customers enjoying quick meals like ice cream and hot dogs. To celebrate the opening, IKEA is offering gifts to the first 1,000 customers and providing shopping bags and coupon books to IKEA Family members.
The opening of the Daegu store also emphasizes collaboration with the local community. IKEA Korea has partnered with the Daegu Employment and Welfare Plus Center to hire about 20 employees from the local area.
IKEA Korea CEO Isabel Puch stated, "The opening of the Daegu store marks a significant step in expanding our customer engagement. We aim to provide various ways for customers to experience IKEA, from large stores to urban locations and online services."
Daegu Shinsegae Department Store manager Lee Do-hyun emphasized, "We will create a friendly space where Daegu customers can discover ideas to help them utilize their living spaces and find home furnishing solutions that suit them."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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