The first Ikea store in Aotearoa New Zealand is officially under construction, with an expected opening date of late 2025. 

The 34,000sqm location in Auckland’s Sylvia Park will have three storeys and a ground-level carpark, with the store stretched across two levels. It will include standalone entry and exit points while also being linked to the rest of the Sylvia Park retail precinct   

Mirja Viinanen, CEO and chief sustainability officer for Ikea New Zealand and Australia, announced that the first store will open concurrently with online shopping.  

“We know anticipation has been building since we first announced our intention to come to New Zealand, so we are excited to share our plans today as we take an important step closer to saying ‘hej’ to the many New Zealanders,” said Viinanen. 

The new Ikea store will feature a Swedish Restaurant and Bistro, which will serve meatballs and hot dogs, as well as plant-based versions of Swedish staples.  

According to Ikea New Zealand, sustainability will be at the core of the development from the beginning, all the way through the store’s launch and day-to-day operations. The company’s goal for the new building is to acquire a New Zealand 5 Green Star certification.  

The store will also include solar panels on the roof, charging stations for electric vehicles in the parking area, and 100 per cent LED lighting.  

Last month, Ikea announced a plan to invest more than US$2.2 billion in an omnichannel expansion strategy in the US over the next three years.