IKEA Bengaluru open for public; CM Bommai flags ₹3,000 crore in investment

India’s largest IKEA store is now open to the public. Situated in Bengaluru’s Nagasandra, it was inaugurated by Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday and the CM said the Swedish company is to invest ₹3,000 crore in the southern state, news agency PTI reported

“The Chief Minister BS Bommai today inaugurated the largest store of Sweden-based home furniture sales company IKEA near the Nagasandra metro station. Ministers Nirani Murugesh and others were present. Klas Molin, Swedish ambassador to India; Susanne Pulverer, CEO of IKEA India; Anje Heim, Market Manager, IKEA India; were present on the occasion,” the CM’s office said.

The company is said to be working towards attracting close to five million visitors this year with its planned investment of ₹3,000 crore in Karnataka.

Klas Molin tweeted, “Happy to help inaugurate IKEA’s new store in Bengaluru. Thank you Chief Minister BS Bommai and excellent team for your support!”

Bommai said the Swedish company had assured him that 75 per cent of the jobs at this IKEA Bengaluru outlet will be given to local people.

PTI earlier said IKEA has already hired 1,000 workers, 72 per cent of whom are local, and plans to hire more. The store also said it believes in empowering women and has seen women take up jobs traditionally reserved for men, such as forklift driving, power stacking, assembly, and installation services.

CM Bommai pointed out the new IKEA outlet would also create more employment for local artisans, carpenters and furniture designers. A report by Moneycontrol says IKEA aims to source 50 per cent of its products locally.

“I have requested them to ramp it (job opportunities) up. Each outlet provides employment opportunities for about 1,000 persons. I have also asked them to open more outlets in Bengaluru, including one in south Bengaluru, as the city has the potential for more,” Bommai was quoted by PTI.

A Twitter user commented on IKEA employing local staff, saying, “Yesterday had visited IKEA Bengaluru shop. It was nice to see everyone of the staff able to speak Kannada. I was told that every staff had to know 3 languages Kannada, English and Hindi. IKEA has shown an example in this regard.”

Many Bengalurians have also shared their experiences, with one user saying, “Went to IKEA in Bengaluru on Day 01. It was such a beautiful experience considering that I’ve never been to an IKEA before. Such good food at reasonable prices and you’ll literally find everything you want for your house at a great price! I would keep going again.”

Another user shared a video of the store and said, “Blessings to Bengaluru. IKEA is a unique gift to Bengalorianas”

Spread over 12.2 acres, the IKEA Nagasandra store reportedly features more than 7,000 well-designed home furnishing products along with over 65 beautifully designed room sets.

(With PTI Inputs)