AFTER THE opening of a new Ikea branch in Matosinhos, in northern Portugal, on Tuesday, July 31, the company announced that it will continue its expansion in the country.
This is the second store to be opened in Portugal, the first having been inaugurated in Alfragide, in the Lisbon district in 2004. For the grand opening of the new store, Ikea gave away 100 gift vouchers to the value of 100 euros each to the first 100 customers. This is the largest Ikea store in the Iberian Peninsula with 600 staff, with an area of 36,000sqm, 9,500 products, restaurants, a book shop and children’s area.
A shopping centre will be inaugurated next to the store late next year, costing a total of 165 million euros out of the 600 million euros the group is planning to invest in Portugal.
Ikea will be opening its third branch next to GaiaShopping in Vila Nova de Gaia, in the north of Portugal in 2010. A fourth store will also be opening in Lisbon at the same time, although the exact location has not been revealed. A store is planned for the Algarve before 2015.
The Swedish furniture company is also building three factories in Paços de Ferreira, near Porto, one of which will be open later this year and the other two by 2009.
Five thousand jobs are expected to be created by the company’s expansion in the country.
Do you have a view on this story? Email: editor@portugalresident.com
