IKEA invited to ‘scout’ Sussex town: Here is everything you need to know about the chain

Eastbourne MP Caroline Ansell recently posted on social media: “Just invited team IKEA to Eastbourne to scout the town. And, there’s a potential £1,000 for an Eastbourne charity.

“They are looking to a new model adding smaller, more localised stores to their business.”

In February 2020 the green light was given for a superstore in Lancing but in July 2021 IKEA announced it would no longer progress with the planned development.

What is IKEA?:

IKEA is a chain of home furnishing superstores that aims to offer products at low prices. The store is also known for its affordable food including meatballs and hot dogs.

The chain currently has 460 stores worldwide.

There is currently no IKEA in Sussex.

The history of IKEA:

1920s

At the age of five, Ingvar Kamprad started selling matches to his neighbours.By the time he was seven, he started selling further afield, using his bicycle.He worked out he could buy matches in bulk cheaply in Stockholm and re-sell them individually at a low price, but still make a good profit.From matches, this young entrepreneur expanded his ‘business’, selling flower seeds, greeting cards, Christmas tree decorations, and later pencils and ballpoint pens.

1943

When Ingvar was 17, his father gave him money as a reward for doing well in his studies. He used this money to establish his own business.IKEA originally sold pens, wallets, picture frames, table runners, watches, jewellery and nylon stockings – meeting needs with products at reduced prices.

1945

Ingvar’s business outgrew his ability to make individual sales calls, so he began advertising in local newspapers and operating a makeshift mail-order service.He used the local milk van to deliver products to the nearby railway station.

1948

This was the first time furniture was introduced to the IKEA range. The furniture was produced by local manufacturers in the forests close to Ingvar’s home.The response was positive and the line expanded.

1951-1953

The first IKEA catalogue was published in 1951to help sell the range on a larger scale.Then, in 1953,the first furniture showroom opened in Älmhult, Sweden. This was a key moment for the business as it was the first time customers could actually see and touch the product before buying them.

Interestingly, the showroom came about as a result of a ‘price war’ with its main competitor.As both companies lowered their prices, quality was threatened so the showroom was a chance to show the function and quality of its products.

1956

This was a key moment for the company as it started designing furniture for flat-packs and self-assembly.Ironically, the decision for IKEA to design its own furniture stemmed from competitors pressure for suppliers to boycott the company.One of the first IKEA co-workers removed the legs of the LÖVET table so that it would fit into a car and avoid damage during transit. After this discovery, flat-packs and self-assembly became part of the concept.

1958-1959

The first IKEA store opened in Sweden and it had the largest furniture display in Scandinavia, with 6,700 square metres of home furnishings. By 1959 the 100th co-worker joined IKEA.

1960s

During this time IKEA expanded. It started designing more furniture, such as the ÖGLA chair, started using particleboard for its furniture, opened its flagship store (31,000 square metres) in Stockholm, and started opening stores in other Scandinavian countries.

1970s

IKEA started expanding outside Scandinavia, opening in Switzerland in 1973, Germany in 1974, and Australia in 1975, Canada in 1976, Austria in 1977, and the Netherlands in 1979. It also started designing more furniture.

1980s

IKEA expanded dramatically into new markets such as USA, Italy, and France. Plus, in 1987, IKEA opened its first shop in the UK, choosing Manchester as the location.More IKEA classics arrived, such as KLIPPAN, LACK and MOMENT. IKEA began to take the form of today’s modern IKEA.

1997

IKEA launched its website www.IKEA.com