It's Official: IKEA Coming to Oak Creek

OAK CREEK — IKEA announced it is submitting plans to the City of Oak Creek for a store that would increase the Swedish company’s presence in the Midwestern U.S. as its first store in the state.

Company officials mingled with IKEA representatives and members of the media at Oak Creek City Hall Thursday to mark the announcement, a huge splash for the suburban Milwaukee community that Mayor Steve Scaffidi said is positioned to see approximately $500 million in new development by the end of next year.

IKEA officials said they are filing their proposal paperwork this week, hope to have the necessary approvals this fall, start construction this spring and welcome shoppers by the summer of 2018.

The new store is proposed for a 29-acre parcel of land on the Northwestern Mutual property just west of I-94 and just north of Drexel Ave. and South of Rawson Ave. Officials from IKEA have not said how much the property acquisition from Northwestern Mutual will cost nor would they publicly estimate the total project cost.

Here are a few details about the store:

• store will be 1 story tall
• will be approximately 295,000 square feet.
• 1,200 parking spots
• 50 showrooms
• 3 model homes
• self-service area
• 300-seat cafeteria
• supervised children play area
• preferred parking for families
• will employ about 250 people
• will generate 500 construction jobs.

Mayor Scaffidi said according to a 2012 survey of Oak Creek residents, when asked what residents would like to see, they reported wanting two things: more restaurants, and IKEA.

The mayor went on to say that Northwestern Mutual approached him about the idea of bringing IKEA to Oak Creek - an idea he welcomed. "I think this is going to be a tremendous addition to the city," he said.

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