The wait is over for IKEA fans who have been anxiously awaiting the grand opening of the Swedish retail giant in the Halifax area.
Eager shoppers started lining up outside the store Tuesday evening, camping out all night in the hopes of being among the first in line, and one of the first 300 people to snatch up a $50 gift card.
“I’m waiting in line. I want to win a $1,000 gift card, and I want to try out the Swedish meatballs,” said one woman as she camped out in her chair Tuesday evening.
“I have never stood out for a ticket in my life and I’m standing out for IKEA tonight and it’s my first time sleeping under the stars,” said another.
By 8 a.m. Wednesday, IKEA Canada said roughly 4,000 people had descended upon the store in the Dartmouth Crossing retail district, ahead of its official opening at 9 a.m.
IKEA gave away more than $10,000 in prizes to those in line and customers were also treated to entertainment as they waited for the doors to open.
The Swedish retailer first announced it would be opening a full-size store in Dartmouth in January 2016.
"This is going to bring people here who've never been to Dartmouth before,” said Halifax Mayor Mike Savage.
The 330,000 square-foot store – the size of four football fields – includes a large showroom, market hall, children’s play facility, and full restaurant featuring its signature Swedish meatballs.
Ikea Canada president Marsha Smith said the company visited more than 70 local residences to determine what people in the Halifax area needed in their homes, such as waste storage solutions.
The company says the store is also the most sustainable location in Canada, with rooftop solar panels providing electricity to the building, a geothermal energy generation system for heating and cooling and LED lighting throughout the store.
The city itself will also benefit. IKEA’s tax bill this year was about $600,000, but the property was assessed before the building was finished, so next year's assessment will be much higher.
About 300 jobs have been created, half of them full-time, but even part-time employees are treated well.
“All co-workers have a guaranteed number of work hours. They have a guaranteed schedule in advance so that they can plan their life,” said Smith.
Overlooking the store's restaurant and seating area is a "living wall" -- a floor-to-ceiling surface filled with green and yellow plants meant to help purify the air.
IKEA Halifax will be open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays, from 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturdays, and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays.
The company plans to double the number of its stores by 2025 and expand from coast to coast. It says IKEA Halifax is the first new store to open under that plan.
IKEA has 375 stores in more than 50 countries worldwide. There are currently 13 stores in Canada, including the new Dartmouth location.
With files from The Canadian Press
