IKEA’s new UK store is unrecognizable from the ones you already know – here’s why

IKEA has a brand-new small store format – and you can experience it at their latest London store. 

The Scandinavian design house announced that their Hammersmith store – which will open on February 24th – is the first of its kind in the UK. It will be the eighth small store worldwide – following the opening of another downsized branch last November in Queens, New York.’

But what does this new format involve? And can you still pick up their famous Scandi icons for your IKEA hacks? Here’s everything you need to know about the ‘small store’ concept. 

Following in the footsteps of its American sibling, the new London site has taken inspiration from life in the city. Despite being approximately one-quarter of the size of a conventional store, the smaller site will ‘still include everything customers love about IKEA’. The only difference is that the store will make it easier for you to shop.  

‘For the first time, Londoners will be able to take the tube to an IKEA store, pop in, grab a yellow bag and buy all the home furnishing accessories that make a house a home,’ explains Peter Jelkeby, the Country Retail Manager and Chief Sustainability Officer at IKEA UK & Ireland. He adds that you will be able to explore the entire range for delivery to a convenient collection point – or straight to your home. 

IKEA’s Hammersmith store will stretch over two floors (4,600 square meters) of commercial space that will allow you to reshape your modern decorating ideas without sacrificing any Daim cake. 

Yes, it’s true – despite its shorter square meters, the store will feature the first-ever ‘Swedish Deli’ that is exclusive to IKEA Hammersmith. The deli will serve up traditional Swedish delicacies, including Smörrebröd open sandwiches and Nordic Chicken Caesar – along with everybody’s favorite meatballs. The deli will also open at 8 am on weekdays – so you can enjoy some IKEA goodness before heading to the office. This is not a drill. 

And, in a nod to IKEA’s sustainable living ethos, the store has been awarded a BREEAM ‘Outstanding’ certification, a sustainability rating. Less than 1% of UK new non-domestic buildings currently hold this certification. 

‘The store has been built with sustainability in mind. In addition to achieving a BREEAM ‘Outstanding’ rating, the store is easily accessible via public transport, being connected via four tube lines and served by 68 bus routes,’ Peter says.‘This is helping IKEA to make sustainable living more accessible and affordable to the many.’ 

We’ll see you in Hammersmith on February 24th.