IKEA is closing one of its Charlotte furniture stores. The bigger one will remain
The South Charlotte IKEA planning store is closing.
The popular Scandinavian ready-to-assemble furniture store will close its “plan and order store with pick-up” at 10844 Providence Road by Aug. 31, according to IKEA’s website.
The store wasn’t a typical IKEA. The “plan and order” stores are where customers can meet with IKEA employees to work on interior design planning. Customers could also grab pick-up orders from there.
But there was no furniture or decor for sale. Nor were there meatballs.
The store is a new format and was part of IKEA U.S.’s growth strategy “to meet customers where they are and how they like to shop.”
It’s unclear why the store is closing. An IKEA representative told The Charlotte Observer noted that as customer needs evolve, the furniture company wants to continue investing on different experiences, including “home delivery, pick-up services and digital capabilities.”
IKEA did not say how many employees would be affected by the closure. The representative said the company is working to retain employees by transitioning them to other roles in nearby IKEA stores.
Eligible employees who don’t transfer would be offered severance.
About IKEA in Charlotte
The “plan and order store” was IKEA’s second location in Charlotte and North Carolina.
In 2009, IKEA opened its first North Carolina store in the University area.
The 356,000-square-foot blue-and-yellow building is off Interstate 85 in and includes 50 room settings, three complete model homes, a children’s play area and a restaurant.
