Opening as early as mid-2009, IKEA Tampa could be 3rd IKEA store in FL, 5th in South

Contact:Joseph Roth 610-834-0180,x6500

CONSHOHOCKEN, PA, March 26, 2007 – IKEA, the world’s leading home furnishings retailer, today announced it submitted plans for a store in Tampa that would increase the Swedish retailer’s planned presence in Florida and the Southeastern United States. Pending city approvals for the store and infrastructure improvements, construction of IKEA Tampa could begin as early as Spring 2008, with an opening as early as Summer 2009. Until then, customers can shop at IKEA Atlanta, or online at www.IKEA.com. (IKEA stores will open Fall 2007 in the Broward County city of Sunrise, and in Orlando; another store, in Charlotte, is slated to open in Spring 2009.)

The 353,000-square-foot proposed IKEA Tampa, with 1,700 parking spaces, would be built on 29 acres currently occupied by buildings at the former Tampa International Center, bordered by 22nd Street, 26th Street, Adamo Drive and the Crosstown Expressway. Plans for the store reflect the same unique architectural design for which IKEA stores are known worldwide.

“We are thrilled to be submitting plans for an IKEA store at this site in Tampa where we can build upon our southeastern presence established in Atlanta, and build upon the success of our two Florida stores set to open this fall,” said David Iemolo, IKEA director of real estate. “We know IKEA Tampa would be more convenient to existing customers while also introducing the unique IKEA family-friendly shopping experience to new Tampa Bay and Sun Coast shoppers.”

Besides offering nearly 10,000 exclusively designed items, IKEA Tampa would feature three model homes, 50 room settings, a supervised children’s play area, and a 300-seat restaurant serving Swedish specialties such as meatballs with lingonberries and salmon plates, as well as American dishes. Other family-friendly features would include a ‘Children’s IKEA’ area in the showroom, baby care rooms, preferred parking and play areas throughout the store.

In addition to 500 jobs created during the construction phase, approximately 400 coworkers would join the IKEA family when the new store opens. IKEA Tampa would provide significant annual sales and property tax revenue for local governments and schools. “We also would look forward to being a partner in the local community,” continued Iemolo.

There currently are more than 250 IKEA stores in 34 countries, including 29 in the U.S., where new stores are being planned in: Brooklyn, NY; Charlotte, NC; Draper, UT; Orlando, FL; Portland, OR; Somerville, MA; Sunrise, FL; and West Chester, OH. Since its 1943 founding in Sweden, IKEA has offered a wide range of home furnishings of good design and function, at low prices so the majority of the people can afford them. IKEA has been ranked in FORTUNE’s annual “100 Best Companies to Work For” List (three years in a row), Working Mother magazine’s annual list of “100 Best Companies for Working Mothers” (four years in a row) and Training magazine’s annual “Top 100” ranking of companies that excel in employee development (four years in a row). IKEA incorporates environmentally and socially responsible efforts into day-to-day business, and continually supports initiatives that benefit causes such as children and the environment. To visit the IKEA Web site or for information about working at IKEA, please go to http://www.IKEA-USA.com.