A new Ikea is coming to Abu Dhabi

The capital’s second store is set to open in July 2020…

A new branch of the popular Swedish furniture store, Ikea, is currently being constructed at Abu Dhabi’s Al Wahda Mall.

Being veterans of the Ikea build, we do hope the foreman hasn’t thrown away the instructions…

Abu Dhabi already has one Ikea on Yas Island, but this second store is positioned in a more central location, making it accessible for many of the capital’s residents.

It will also take the total number of the famously labyrinthian stores in the UAE to five, following the launch of Jebel Ali’s Festival Plaza outlet at the end of 2019.

In the past, Ikea stores have usually set up home in the suburbs. It made practical sense, given their vast size and the fact that there was usually expansive warehouse space on site. Inner-city real estate just wasn’t viable.

Fast-forward to 2020 and the new 23,000-square-foot Al Wahda Mall location is just the latest in the brand’s growing ‘city store concept’ portfolio.

The city format has seen a few tweaks to the traditional shop layout where its been rolled out in areas such as Paris, but still maintains the same affordable, stylish ‘own-brand’ products.

Vinod Jayan, managing director of Al-Futtaim IKEA said of the upcoming launch, “We are delighted to open a new Ikea store at Al Wahda Mall, given the mall’s strategic and central location, we will be in the city centre closer to where the many people live.”

FAQs

Will I be able to purchase those tasty little Swedish meatballs there? Yes, yes you will. Reasonably priced meatballs, shawarma, hot dogs and cooked breakfasts will all be available at the cafeteria.

Will there be unpronounceable (for non-Scandanavians) product names? Yes indeed — the Ikea range, famed for Swedish practicality and nomenclature, will be available in store.

Will I go in to buy one potato peeler then leave with three trolly-loads of mood lighting and a new kitchen? Probably.