The home furnishings store, which is scheduled to open in November, is being built on 23 acres at the 150-acre Emerald Center, an office and retail community planned for development by Tom Tait, owner of Tait Investments. Building plans for the site also show several thousand square feet of retail along with restaurants and offices.
The Netherlands-based IKEA's California division originally planned to make a move into the Valley in 2006, but moved up that deadline after finding that growth in the Phoenix market could support an earlier opening. The store regularly draws Arizona buyers to its Southern California locations where they pick up assembly-required furniture at cut-rate costs. Tempe Mayor Neil Giuliani said the new store will generate an estimated $1 million in sales tax revenues and also could boost profits for nearby hotels and retail outlets such as Arizona Mills.
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