Construction of second Bangkok Ikea store starts
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On 18 February 2016 Ikano and Central Pattana representatives broke ground at the site for Thailand’s second IKEA second store in West Bangkok.
From left to right: Ms. Amornrat Bunyongsin GM-Central Plaza Westgate; Ms. Lacia Sherlock, IKEA Retail Project Leader for Ikano Private Limited; Mr.Sebastian Hylving, Expansion Director for Ikano Private Limited; Mr. Narit Ratanaphichetchai, Executive Vice President-Business Development Central Pattana Public Company Limited; Mr. Isareit Chirathivat, Vice President of Property Management, Central Pattana Public Company Limited; Mr. Mike King, the IKEA Retail Director for Ikano Private Limited
The site is in Bangyai, to be fully integrated into Central Plaza Westgate shopping centre with wide open entrances at all levels of the mall and direct link to the upcoming MRT (public transportation) line.
“We are creating the world’s best integration of an IKEA store into a shopping centre,” said Sebastian Hylving, Expansion Director for Ikano Private Limited, owner of the IKEA franchise in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand.
In a highly complex design, the showroom and a market hall are housed inside an expansive two-storey concourse building that creates a bridge to the Westgate mall. The self-serve warehouse will be on the ground floor.
“This is not going to be the usual blue box,” said Lacia Sherlock, IKEA Retail Project Leader for Ikano. “This will be our only store that offers customers an opportunity to enter and checkout at every level. We will deliver a fantastic customer experience.”
“This is not going to be the usual blue box,”
Ms. Sherlock explained that the 50,278m2 building includes 1,900 parking spaces, a dedicated area for outdoor furniture, and two unique cafes – one will “float” over the showroom in an open mezzanine. The 6.3 billion THB project also aims to reach new heights in Thailand terms of sustainable construction and operation. It will be fitted out with hundreds of rooftop solar panels, 100% LED lighting and other features that are expected to earn this IKEA store the highest level of LEED certification.
Mike King, the IKEA Retail Director for Ikano, is confident many of the 1.6 million people who live in Bangyai and the surrounding area – including a growing population of young families – will make the trip to the new store when it opens at the end of 2017.
“There may be a lot of competition in the home furnishing business here in Thailand, but no other retailer offers the whole family a great day out in the way IKEA does,” said Mr. King. “No other retailer provides customers both an inspirational showroom and 9,500 functional, well-designed products – flat-packed and ready to take home the same day.”
In November last year, the company opened a second store in Kuala Lumpur and a Pick Up and Order Point in Phuket. The Bangyai project marks Ikano’s first collaboration with Central Pattana Public Company Ltd.
Isareit Chirathivat, Vice President of Property Management, Central Pattana Public Company Limited said: “We are honored to join hands with Ikano to develop the newest model of IKEA store. We are confident IKEA will help Central Plaza Westgate achieve its vision of being ‘The Most Complete Super-Regional Mall in Southeast Asia’. We will attract Thai and foreign customers alike and create a truly great destination for people to shop, dine and play in West Bangkok.”
Questions & Answers
Q.What company owns the IKEA franchise for Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand?
What company owns the IKEA franchise for Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand?
Ikano Private Limited owns the IKEA franchise for these regions. Their Expansion Director, Sebastian Hylving, made a statement about integrating the new store into the shopping centre.
Q.What makes this new IKEA store different from typical IKEA stores?
What makes this new IKEA store different from typical IKEA stores?
This store will not be a 'blue box'. It offers customers the unique ability to enter and checkout at every level, and features a highly complex design integrated directly into the mall, unlike other IKEA stores.
Q.What specific features are being implemented to make the store more sustainable?
What specific features are being implemented to make the store more sustainable?
The project includes hundreds of rooftop solar panels and 100% LED lighting. These features are expected to help the store achieve the highest level of LEED certification for sustainable construction.
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