IKEA's Charlotte Store

[Andyc545]

I visited IKEA yesterday and noticed the clearing of land around the building. Does anyone know of any plans for the area next to IKEA? I can see tons of opportunity there with IKEA as an anchor.

[monsoon]

... Does anyone know of any plans for the area next to IKEA? I can see tons of opportunity there with IKEA as an anchor.

[Neo]

A Super Walmart. This area started being stripped for big box retail around 1993 or so. The first wave put all the 1970s big box retail at Eastway and Tryon out of business and those are pretty much derelict now. The 1993 developments are now closing down because of development such as this and at Northlake. Now they are attempting it again with this development. The timing of 16 years for a new phase of big box retail is just about right.

The Walmart is not going directly next to the IKEA. The Walmart is a little North and is along 29, not set-back like IKEA.

[DigitalSky]

That's correct. The Wal-Mart (which much of is already built) is directly off of North Tryon and not directly next to the IKEA store. It seems that next to the IKEA store we'll see some junior-box sized anchor stores, perhaps some that may be exclusive to Charlotte to join IKEA? I've heard names thrown around (Container Store, H&M, etc...) but no definite confirmations on any of those.

[Skyybutter]

Would love to see H&M come to Charlotte but I wouldnt want to see it at this location. Would love to see it uptown. Its an inexpesive priced store overall, so all income groups can shop there.

[jruckman]

My friend Matt & I took a lot of video from the IKEA opening, thought you all might be interested:

http://cltblog.com/2009/02/ikea-2/

[DigitalSky]

My friend Matt & I took a lot of video from the IKEA opening, thought you all might be interested:

http://cltblog.com/2009/02/ikea-2/

[monsoon]

So why is Charlotte, along with a few other stores, singled out for denial of IKEA offers? See this. Is it true that these stores, including Charlotte, carry inventory for aimed at a lower demographic than other IKEA's? I've heard this rumor a couple of times.

[abttown]

This is just an hypothesis, but maybe the singled out cities already have enough business and breakfast eaters that they don't need any special offers to entice people to shop there. I honestly have no idea why the offers wouldn't be valid everywhere, but that's my 2 cents.

[monsoon]

^It's not just the breakfast. It's also the furniture.

[JayGee]

So why is Charlotte, along with a few other stores, singled out for denial of IKEA offers? See this. Is it true that these stores, including Charlotte, carry inventory for aimed at a lower demographic than other IKEA's? I've heard this rumor a couple of times.

[AuLukey]

Possibly because its new and does not need the promotion for the level of traffic they are seeking.

[DigitalSky]

I called IKEA, they told me it's because IKEA Charlotte is still a new store and b/c they had so many store opening promotions and specials going on that they are currently excluded from the specials that most IKEA stores get right now.

[InitialD]

[AuLukey]

You know, the site plan and this photo both make the parking lot look huge, but in person, it feels smaller than a Harris Teeter parking lot. I guess it's just the layout, or the fact that I'm smart enough not to go during their busy hours, but the front door is always an extremely short skip away from wherever we park.

[Spartan]

I disagree with that. The parking lot there feels huge and it IS huge. It helps that they have huge sidewalks leading out into the parking lots to allow for pedestrian circulation.

[AuLukey]

I disagree with that. The parking lot there feels huge and it IS huge. It helps that they have huge sidewalks leading out into the parking lots to allow for pedestrian circulation.

[Niner National]

Looks awful as it is now. Hopefully the area will fill in a little better once they start to built out the site. Anyone know if those plans have changed due to the economy, or do they still plan on following through with their site plan?

[Neo]

So why is Charlotte, along with a few other stores, singled out for denial of IKEA offers? See this. Is it true that these stores, including Charlotte, carry inventory for aimed at a lower demographic than other IKEA's? I've heard this rumor a couple of times.

As far as I know, All IKEA's carry the same items. If an item is discontinued, one store may have it still in stock while another will not, but other than that there is no difference between stores. I would question the source of the rumors you're hearing. You can go to IKEA's website and check stock for a particular item at any of their stores.

[monsoon]

There should be no surprises as to how this turned out. It's auto dependent big box development in it's most advanced form. 99.9% of the people that will ever shop there will come in a vehicle. It's the nature of this business.

However it does bring, again, the debate of spending billions of dollars to build light rail to this area. UC will never be an urban or pedestrian paradise as this newly opened development demonstrates and the city might as well admit it and officially cancel this part of that project. It just demonstrates how bad the local planning is in Charlotte. Simultaneously they have a LRT project and a Big Box project right in the same area. I would call it insane, but I believe it is more of a case of incompetence based on useless rhetoric of the highest order.

[New Name]

There should be no surprises as to how this turned out. It's auto dependent big box development in it's most advanced form. 99.9% of the people that will ever shop there will come in a vehicle. It's the nature of this business.

However it does bring, again, the debate of spending billions of dollars to build light rail to this area. UC will never be an urban or pedestrian paradise as this newly opened development demonstrates and the city might as well admit it and officially cancel this part of that project. It just demonstrates how bad the local planning is in Charlotte. Simultaneously they have a LRT project and a Big Box project right in the same area. I would call it insane, but I believe it is more of a case of incompetence based on useless rhetoric of the highest order.

[southslider]

The planned station closest to IKEA is just outside the aerial photo at the top-center-right of the frame. As such, this site may fall just outside the quarter-mile walk. Its front door certainly is, if not the parking lot. Granted, so is the much more urban South End Lowe's from either Blue Line station. However, it's all those trees, vacant land and even light industrial you can also see in the aerial photo that will become the prime TOD sites closest to the station.

[Windsurfer]

However, it's all those trees, vacant land and even light industrial you can also see in the aerial photo that will become the prime TOD sites closest to the station.

[Eastman]

Trees and vacant land, huh. So much for light rail encouraging density.

Too bad they couldn't use some of IKEA's parking lot. Its outer reaches are often empty anyway, especially during the week. IKEA should jump at the opportunity to bring a stop to their property, maybe even financing part of it.

[southslider]

If encouraging density, vacant land offers a blank slate for new development. Likely a better slate than underutilized land (aka grayfields, like land about Scaleybark). Some LYNX stations are more greenfield than others. Look at Arrowood as an example. The planned "University City" station (near N. Tryon St. & Stetson Dr.) has the most undeveloped land of any station location, and not just between Tryon and IKEA, but both sides of Tryon.