Ikea to open new store at Jem next year

No playground but Swedish meatballs will be available at 'new concept' store

An artist's impression of Jem's exterior featuring Ikea's billboard. The Swedish retailer will take over some of the the space now occupied by Robinsons.
An artist's impression of Jem's exterior featuring Ikea's billboard. The Swedish retailer will take over some of the the space now occupied by Robinsons. PHOTO: IKEA

Swedish retailer Ikea will be expanding to the west of the island and opening its third outlet in Singapore at Jem next year.

The 70,000 sq ft store, to be spread across three floors of the mall, will offer the full range of Ikea products and a restaurant, despite the smaller size compared with its other outlets, the retailer said yesterday.

Ikea's retail director for Singapore and Vietnam Jaap Doornbos said that the smaller concept - within a shopping centre - will be the first of its kind in the region.

"It will be easier than ever for people to just pop in for some inspiration, home furnishing products and, of course, our Swedish meatballs," he said.

The Jem outlet will not feature a playground or built-in warehouse, but will be organised in a new way, combining Ikea's full catalogue for each core area of the home into one department.

Ikea, which first opened in Singapore in 1978, has stores in Tampines and Alexandra that attract close to seven million visits a year. The two stores, including their warehouse spaces, are each between 400,000 sq ft and 410,000 sq ft large.

The space at Jem is now occupied by Robinsons, which is set to exit the mall at the end of August, following amiable discussions with the landlord Lendlease. Discussions have been ongoing since November last year. The closure of the store, which opened at Jem in 2013, will leave Robinsons with two outlets - at The Heeren and Raffles City Shopping Centre.

The managing director for Singapore and chief investment officer for Asia at Lendlease, Ms Ng Hsueh Ling, said: "We are excited to be partnering with an innovative brand like Ikea and look forward to bringing a first-to-market lifestyle concept to our shoppers.

"We are continually rejuvenating our tenancy mix and bringing new experiences to them."

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on May 12, 2020, with the headline Ikea to open new store at Jem next year. Subscribe