IKEA revolutionizes shopping with new two-kilometer store without mazes
Swedish furniture giant IKEA has announced a revolutionary two-kilometer-long store project that will radically change the traditional shopping format. Instead of familiar mazes, the new concept offers a straight line with a visible exit and innovative solutions for visitor comfort.
The Future of Retail by IKEA
Swedish furniture giant IKEA has presented a revolutionary store project of the future – a two-kilometer retail space with a fundamentally new approach to planning, where shoppers will no longer have to wander through traditional mazes.
The revolutionary store planning approach includes:
- Single-level linear layout with direct exit visibility
- Travelator for convenient visitor movement
- Innovative food court in the center with rapid delivery system
- Preservation of traditional zone sequence without zigzags
According to Tolga Oncu, Head of Retail at Ingka Group, the new store format was created in response to numerous customer feedback and aims to reduce reliance on mobile navigation. The revolutionary design will guide visitors through all traditional IKEA zones – showrooms, marketplace, furniture rows, and checkouts – maintaining the usual sequence but without confusing turns.
To cover the significant distance in the store, a special travelator will be installed. The central part will feature an innovative food court with a high-speed delivery system, allowing visitors to quickly access their favorite dishes, including IKEA’s famous meatballs.
Despite radical changes in planning, the new store will retain key brand elements, including the signature blue and yellow style and the concept of open space without display windows. This is an evolutionary step in the network’s development, aimed at creating a more intuitive and comfortable shopping experience.
IKEA’s new store format demonstrates the brand’s commitment to innovation and improving the customer experience. The straight configuration and modern solutions for visitor comfort could become a new standard in the retail world.
