Ikea Opening New Concept Store Inside Ontario Mall Later This Year

If you're looking to get a new couch or coffee table soon, you're in luck. IKEA is bringing a new concept store to an Ontario mall this fall.

A recent press release confirms that the Swedish home goods brand, known for its small-space furniture and affordable prices, is set to expand its global footprint with a new "small format store" concept coming to Ontario this fall.

Set to open later this year at White Oaks Mall in London, the store will span 43,000 square feet with a "compact layout." It will include the same room settings and home furnishing solutions as the big box stores, just in a more condensed format. Customers will still be able to purchase items with options for delivery and pick-up.

Don't worry, the Swedish eats aren't going anywhere; a section of the London store will be dedicated to the brand's well-known food offerings, fueling shoppers with meatballs and other plates before checkout. 

"We're on an exciting journey to transform our business to be more accessible, affordable, and sustainable for our customers, no matter how they choose to shop with us," Selwyn Crittendon, CEO and Chief Sustainability Officer of IKEA Canada, says in the statement.

Crittendon noted that the new concept store will bring IKEA shoppers' everyday essentials closer to home, catering to a growing preference for more convenient locations.

Ontario isn't the first region to see a smaller-scale IKEA. "Customers have responded positively to pilot stores in other countries," Crittendon mentioned, noting that the concept has already been rolled out globally.

While an official opening date has yet to be confirmed, the tentative timeline points to fall 2026. The company plans to open 20 more locations across Canada, Portugal, Spain, France, Germany, and Italy.

This is not the first time the brand has tried to introduce something different to the retail market. Back in 2022, IKEA officially opened the IKEA Design Studios in select Ontario malls, giving shoppers a chance to explore its mini showrooms and shop digitally on-site; the project ultimately ended in two locations shuttered for good. 

The small format IKEA will be inside White Oaks Mall, located at 1105 Wellington Rd., in London, Ont.