259 replies to this topic

[aastra]

We're saying that blurb does not describe Victoria? That's another reason why I think it's odd to be absent, because there are so many apartments and condominiums in Victoria.

[VicHockeyFan]

Hmmm. I think Victorians can't keep track of their own stereotypes. If you love Wal-mart then you should love Ikea, no?

 

Does Walmart sell some type of device to keep track of our stereotypes, plus our alternative names?

[aastra]

God, I hope so.

[Nparker]

We're saying that blurb does not describe Victoria? That's another reason why I think it's odd to be absent, because there are so many apartments and condominiums in Victoria.

I think many of our local post-college/university crowd leave to find employment opportunities elsewhere. While they are students even IKEA is out of reach. I'd argue that outside of the CoV proper a greater percentage of people live in SFH than in condos.

[aastra]

You know, maybe I need to revisit this. Is that the problem with the Victoria market from Ikea's perspective? The suburbs are not extensive enough?

[lanforod]

I own a SFH home here. Probably half my furniture is IKEA.

[aastra]

 

The suburbs are not extensive enough?

 

But then that takes me back to Wal-mart. Victorians are over-the-moon in love with Wal-mart, and all of the other big box stores, too. So if that's what Ikea is really about then why are they absent?

 

Which takes us back to sheer market size. But if it really is just an issue of sheer market size then it would be nutty for Victoria to be excluded from that list of new stores. If Nova Scotia can support an Ikea then Vancouver Island surely can.

Edited by aastra, 08 September 2016 - 05:40 PM.

[aastra]

 

I own a SFH home here. Probably half my furniture is IKEA.

 

This is why I'm reconsidering. I live in an apartment and I've got just a couple of Ikea items and I haven't been in a store in at least ten years, maybe more like 15 years. So maybe I've got it all backwards.

[Nparker]

All I am saying is that I would be very surprised if IKEA opens a full service store in the CRD.

[aastra]

Are you surprised that they're opening a full store in Nova Scotia?

[Nparker]

Are you surprised that they're opening a full store in Nova Scotia?

Not really. The next closest store is in Montreal. The Halifax store will serve the entire Maritime region, an area with nearly 2 million inhabitants.

Admittedly, the NS location won't be any more convenient for the folks in Newfoundland, but I am sure the residents of New Brunswick, PEI and the rest of NS will take advantage of the fact that they can drive (sans ferry) to an IKEA store.

[LJ]

I own a SFH home here. Probably half my furniture is IKEA.

I own a SFH here. I'm happy to say none of my furniture is IKEA.

[AllseeingEye]

I own a SFH here. I'm happy to say none of my furniture is IKEA.

Ok that was funny thanks for that; as far as IKEA and Victoria although it doesn't address the "demographic" requirement(s) per se, hasn't IKEA stated previously that in order to be considered as a location for a full blown retail operation a region had to have a CMA population of ~ 1 million? I know I've read that somewhere, possibly not on VV, but I clearly recall reading or hearing something to that effect.....

[lanforod]

Ok that was funny thanks for that; as far as IKEA and Victoria although it doesn't address the "demographic" requirement(s) per se, hasn't IKEA stated previously that in order to be considered as a location for a full blown retail operation a region had to have a CMA population of ~ 1 million? I know I've read that somewhere, possibly not on VV, but I clearly recall reading or hearing something to that effect.....

 

I don't think there are 24 CMA's of 1 million +, even if you put 3 or 4 in each of the multimillion areas. Say 5 in Toronto, 3 in Montreal and Vancouver, 1 in every other 1 million+. Are there 13 CMA's in Canada with over 1 million people, outside of the big three?

[AllseeingEye]

I don't think there are 24 CMA's of 1 million +, even if you put 3 or 4 in each of the multimillion areas. Say 5 in Toronto, 3 in Montreal and Vancouver, 1 in every other 1 million+. Are there 13 CMA's in Canada with over 1 million people, outside of the big three?

No, there are currently six CMA's in Canada with over 1 million residents (TO, Montreal, YVR, Calgary, Edmonton and Ottawa), and nine cities altogether (those six plus Winnipeg, Hamilton and Quebec City) with 700K or more population. That one million figure as I recall was not considered an absolute but more of a guideline.....

[lanforod]

Exactly. So you may as well throw that out the window now, no matter where you heard it. It's a fact they are expanding to 24.

[Mike K.]

IKEA's magic number might be 700k, that's why Winnipeg has one now.

They'll locate on the Island eventually but I'm sure when IKEA execs are looking at a map and see stores in Seattle and Vancouver, and with the Island so "close," they focus elsewhere.

[lanforod]

700k is still too high to reach 24 stores. Victoria could get one, but it may be one of the last ones - ie. no store till 2025 (their time frame is 10 years). By then, the CRD would be pushing 500k, right?

 

I think it's more likely we'll get a collection point, sooner, and a full size store later - exactly like in Halifax.

Edited by lanforod, 09 September 2016 - 07:23 AM.

[jonny]

But then that takes me back to Wal-mart. Victorians are over-the-moon in love with Wal-mart, and all of the other big box stores, too. So if that's what Ikea is really about then why are they absent?

 

Which takes us back to sheer market size. But if it really is just an issue of sheer market size then it would be nutty for Victoria to be excluded from that list of new stores. If Nova Scotia can support an Ikea then Vancouver Island surely can.

 

Perhaps they are concerned with cannibalization. Since Vancouver Island Ikea customers are already purchasing Ikea furniture from the Richmond and Coquitlam locations, any expansion onto Vancouver Island would simply result in a correlating decrease in sales at the Richmond and Coquitlam locations.

 

Where’s the nearest Ikea to Halifax? Looks like Boucherville Quebec, which is about 1,200 kilometers away.

 

Anyway, if I was Ikea, that’s what I would be concerned about.

Edited by jonny, 09 September 2016 - 07:41 AM.

[G-Man]

There must be over 800k on the island so it would seem like we should be on the list.