Tomorrow, IKEA will be launching their new concept in Kuwait called ‘IKEA for Business’. I got a sneak peek of the store, and I left impressed.
The new store felt like a movie set because they built various shops with shop fronts inside a large warehouse-like building. The idea is that they wanted customers to see in person how you could fit out an entire shop or office with just IKEA furniture and accessories.
When I first walked into the IKEA store, I stepped into the offices of a recycling company called RRR—complete with cubicles, private offices, a waiting room, and everything you’d expect from a real office. The next area had a more casual office vibe, which turned out to belong to a make-believe marketing agency called Mirage. It was more colorful and less serious looking, completely different to the previous corporate looking offices.
After leaving the office area, I found myself on a street lined with a nail salon, flower shop, and café. None of them were real, of course, but they looked and felt convincing, complete with working faucets and functional equipment. To the left of the nail salon were stairs that led me up to a women’s hair salon. I walked through it and emerged out the other side onto a rooftop restaurant.
Exploring the store was surprisingly fun, like a KidZania for adults since they had hotel rooms, a kids nursery, a company board room, and various offices all for customers to interact with and explore.
The coolest thing wasn’t even what was on display—it was that IKEA now functions like a design studio with a contractor. Previously, they’d help design a room or bathroom, but they wouldn’t handle finding a painter or taking care of plumbing for example. With IKEA for Business, that’s changed. They now can manage everything from design to execution, so you don’t have to deal with anyone else. Super convenient.
If you want to check out the new IKEA store, it’s located in Shuwaikh where their first original store used to be, right next to the new Spark gym (Google Maps). Opening hours will be 10 to 10 and they open to the public from tomorrow.
9 replies on “IKEA’s New Store in Kuwait Feels Like a Movie Set”
I have been wondering for a long time if they still own the old store location. Just going there brings back memories. The place looks stunning and so well prepared and executed.
Old building was demolished a long time back and other buildings were built in its place. The building the new store is in used to be the huge Circuit+
Is the furniture, accessories etc. range in this branch same as the Avenues branch? I mean can I get anything I would normally pick up in any other IKEA branch, at this branch also, or is there a limited range only here ?
No it’s nothing like the main branch. This store is basically an inspiration showroom. They’re kinda like the existing rooms they have now in their branches (like the living room, or a fake bedroom etc) but applied to businesses. So they have like a hotel room, an office of an event planner, a CEO office, a kids nursery, hair salon, nail salon, coffee shop etc..
The idea is that if you have a businesses and need them to design and furnish it for you, you head there. The mini mockup businesses they’ve created in this space is to help customers visualize the possibilities, but you’re meant to basically get an appointment and work with a design team on your individual concept.
Great idea great concept. Your images helped understand what you were describing.
When I visited IKEA last month I believe it was the Warehouse location they had a store front of a small boutique displayed as you wander through the store.
Hi,
‘The coolest thing wasn’t event’ seems to be a typo…
Like the concept…
damn it!
looks lovely, worth noting the parquet they used in their new showroom is actually from Abyat (fun fact)