IKEA breaks ground in Valais
IKEA Switzerland has started construction work on a new store in Riddes in the canton of Valais with a groundbreaking ceremony. The opening of the tenth IKEA store in Switzerland is planned for spring 2024.
IKEA Switzerland, based in Spreitenbach, is building its first store in the canton of Valais. Construction began in Riddes with the groundbreaking ceremony on Friday, 10 March. This will be the first time IKEA has entered the Swiss mountain region with a large shop, according to a media release. When it opens in 2024, IKEA will have ten stores and two planning studios in Switzerland with around 3,300 employees.
The construction coincides with the 50th anniversary of IKEA Switzerland. iKEA opened its first store outside Scandinavia in Spreitenbach in 1973. “I am very pleased that after an intensive development and planning phase, we can now begin to implement this milestone,” Jessica Anderen, CEO and Chief Sales Officer (CSO) of IKEA Switzerland, is quoted as saying. “Our stores are and will remain an important pillar in IKEA’s growth strategy. With Riddes, we are opening up a new market in Switzerland outside the cities,” Anderen said.
The share of online furniture sales at IKEA has tripled in recent years from 8 to 24 per cent, the statement said. Nevertheless, the on-site shopping experience still plays a decisive role in furniture purchases and the demand for personal furnishing advice has even increased in recent years. The furniture store in Riddes will be designed accordingly.
The opening of the tenth IKEA store in Switzerland is planned for spring 2024. The new IKEA location will not only benefit future customers, but also the entire canton, according to the company’s statement. IKEA will create 150 to 200 new jobs in the region. The recruitment phase will begin in the summer of 2023.