IKEA's Rishon Lezion store to open March 9
Swedish home products chain's second Israel branch to open nine years after first store in Netanya. Some NIS 400 million invested in store, which is slated to serve residents of central, southern communities and Jerusalem
The store was originally scheduled to be launched more than two years ago, but its opening was delayed due to a struggle launched by local merchants.
The store is located inside a building measuring about 34,000 square meters in size and is expected to employ about 500 workers, according to the company.
IKEA Israel officials said the new store's location was selected due to its accessibility to residents of central Israel, Jerusalem and southern Israel.
According to IKEA Israel CEO Shlomi Gabbai, the Rishon Lezion store will offer a homogenous variety of products which will be identical to the variety offered in the Netanya store. He added that the two stores would hold the exact same sales activities throughout the year.
IKEA Israel chairman Ron Hadassi said that thus far some NIS 400 million (roughly $105 million) have been invested in setting up the new store in Rishon Lezion. According to Hadassi, over 19 million shoppers visited the first store in Netanya.
As the next step, IKEA is planning to open a third store in the Check-Post compound for residents of Haifa and the northern towns.
Matthew Bronfman, owner of IKEA Israel said, "We are excited towards the opening of IKEA's second store. We have no doubt that the store will contribute to the whole area's financial prosperity as the Netanya store helped the development of the Poleg compound in Netanya. We are delighted at the chance to add 500 more families to the first workforce circle and thousands more in the second circle.
"The opening of the second store is an additional stage of the layout plan for the creation of a chain in Israel to include three stores at the current stage. Turing into a chain will allow IKEA to further consolidate the brand's vision: To allow as many people to enjoy quality designed products at affordable prices.
"We are lucky to have received the support of many. I wish to thank all of the employees of the Netanya IKEA store, the new employees in the Rishon Lezion store and especially Rishon Lezion mayor, Asher. All of you have enabled the opening of the store. I am proud to announce that IKEA will keep supporting Akim establishments also through the Rishon Lezion store," Bronfman said.
