Ikea moves into Łódź

The Swedish retailer has revealed plans to invest zł.260 million in its eighth store in Poland. The new complex, to be located on ul. Pabianicka in Łódź, will have total space of 28,000 sqm and is scheduled to open by September 2008.

The new superstore will provide 1,200 direct jobs and some 2,000 in cooperating companies. Jerzy Kropiwnicki, Mayor of Łódź, and Per Arne Hubinette, representing the investor, have signed an agreement regulating their obligations. Ikea has to rebuild roads neighboring the store within 15 months.

"An agreement has been reached despite protests from ecologists, allotment owners and merchants. I think that the inhabitants of Łódź will be satisfied," says Kropiwnicki.

So far the company has invested some zł.2.5 billion in seven existing superstores of between 14,000 and 24,000 sqm each, and employs 10,000 people. Between 2005 and 2008 it intends to invest zł.3.5 billion, which will be spent on extending stores and constructing new ones. The company exports products worth over zł.3.5 million from Poland.