Published 19 June 2022 • Inter IKEA newsroom
Welcome to the family, IKEA Muscat!
Today, on 19 June 2022, the doors have opened at the first IKEA store in Oman after a long period of preparations. Al-Futtaim Group operates in the Oman market under a franchise agreement with Inter IKEA Systems B.V., the owner of the IKEA Concept and the worldwide IKEA franchisor. Now, the moment has come for a warm, family welcome to IKEA Muscat!
''We are proud and excited to bring the IKEA Concept to Oman. Entering a new retail market means being one step closer to offering the accessible and affordable IKEA range of well-designed and functional home furnishing products to the many people. Al-Futtaim Group has a lot of experience in successfully operating retail businesses, and together we're determined to also make IKEA meaningful and beloved in the homes of our customers in Oman'', says Maria Johansson, Expansion Manager, Inter IKEA Systems B.V.
The IKEA Muscat store in Oman spans 25,000 square metres and is located in the city centre of Muscat at the Lulu Group's Oman Avenues Mall. Leveraging digital innovation, Oman's first IKEA store will also be available virtually, making it more accessible for shoppers to browse and buy products and offer an inspirational shopping experience for the millions of people in that region. Designed to have a positive impact on the environment and promote sustainable living, the store will also contribute to the Sultanate's Green Agenda with innovative solutions that help reduce waste, save energy, and conserve natural resources.
''The first IKEA store in the Sultanate of Oman reflects our commitment to making sustainable living affordable and accessible while creating a better everyday life for the many people. As part of the Al-Futtaim Group, we live by the same ethos of enriching the lives and aspirations of our customers at every turn, and we aim to do this for our customers across Oman. We are now closer to our Omani customers and are confident that the experience and home furnishing ideas we provide at IKEA will inspire our customers to refresh their homes'', says Vinod Jayan, Managing Director IKEA UAE, Egypt and Oman.
The opening of the IKEA Muscat store contributes to the global expansion plan. After the IKEA store openings in Puerto Rico and The Philippines, Oman is now the third new entered retail market this year, meaning that there are 469 IKEA stores across 64 markets globally.