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IKEA SEEKING 400 TO JOIN SWEDISH FAMILY

Recruitment Underway for Store Opening Summer 2009 in Tampa, Florida

TAMPA, FL – IKEA, the world’s leading home furnishings retailer, today announced it has begun the recruitment process for its future Tampa store, set to open Summer 2009 in the Ybor City-area.  Candidates interested in working at the future IKEA Tampa – the Swedish company’s 3rd store and restaurant destination in Florida, 6th in the Southeast, and 37th in the United States – should look online (www.IKEA-USA.com) for all available positions at the future store.  Candidates without access to a home computer are encouraged to visit a local library for online computer access.

“We are thrilled to offer interested jobseekers diverse positions with limitless opportunity at a global company,” said Monica Varela, store manager of the future IKEA Tampa.  “At IKEA, we realize that the ability to do the things in life that bring success and happiness is extremely valuable to our coworkers.”  

While IKEA Tampa progresses through construction and outfitting, a variety of positions are open to local residents.  Prospective coworkers are welcome to apply for the nearly 400 diverse positions as postings are available in: home furnishings sales, interior decoration, customer service, safety and security, cashiers, maintenance, goods flow, receiving, warehouse and stock replenishment.  Also, setting itself apart from other retailers in the area, IKEA Tampa will offer – among the 400 total positions to be hired for the store – approximately 75 food service opportunities in its Restaurant, Swedish Foodmarket, Café Bistro and coworker cafeteria.

Named in FORTUNE’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” list (three consecutive years), Working Mother magazine’s annual list of the “100 Best Companies for Working Mothers” (four consecutive years) and Training magazine’s annual “Top 100” ranking of companies that excel at human capital development (five consecutive years), IKEA places value and emphasis on coworkers’ personal lives and the importance of a work/life balance. 

Drawing from the company’s Swedish heritage, IKEA is committed to a flexible workplace that emphasizes a work/life balance and provides professional opportunities to people from all life situations.  If an IKEA coworker needs to take time off to find a nursing home for an aging parent, be home to kiss their child before bed or have flexible scheduling to best juggle caring for a newborn, one can do so without worrying about risking their career aspirations.

IKEA offers family-friendly initiatives and diverse workplace benefits including full medical/dental insurance to coworkers working 20 hours or more per week with eligibility for domestic partners and children.  Coworkers working less than 20 hours still are eligible for medical and dental insurance.

Other benefits include:  vacation, paid maternity/paternity leave and paid time off for child adoption, tuition assistance, 401(k) match, professional development, training and mentoring programs and, of course, a discount on IKEA purchases.  The organization puts career opportunity into the hands of the individual, encouraging coworkers to consider assignments within different functions, at other IKEA stores or even in other countries.  IKEA prides itself on the fact that an opportunity to work at IKEA truly can evolve into a career, and also can serve as a gateway to global experience as well.

Under construction on 29 acres along Adamo Drive at 22nd Street and the Crosstown Expressway, the 353,000 square-foot IKEA Tampa will feature nearly 10,000 exclusively designed items, three model homes, 50 room settings, a supervised children’s play area, a 350-seat restaurant serving Swedish specialties such as meatballs with lingonberries and salmon plates, as well as American dishes.  Other family-friendly features will include a ‘Children’s IKEA’ area in the showroom, baby care rooms, preferred parking and play areas throughout the store.  Also, IKEA will generate significant tax revenue for state and local governments.  When IKEA Tampa opens in Summer 2009, the new store will welcome 400 coworkers to the IKEA family of more than 11,000 coworkers in the United States and 130,000 globally.

Welcome to Tampa, Monica!!!

19 Year IKEA Veteran to Lead Ybor City-Area Store Opening Summer 2009 as 3rd in Florida

IKEA, the world's leading home furnishings retailer, today announced the appointment of Monica Varela as store manager for its future store on track to open Summer 2009 in Tampa, FL.

"Monica's retail store experience with IKEA, as well as her product life-cycle management expertise, has prepared her for managing this store in Tampa."

"IKEA recognizes the strong customer base for us in the Tampa Bay area, so I am pleased about providing these 100,000 customers with a store of their own," Varela said. "Also, I look forward to introducing new customers to our unique family-friendly shopping experience and wide selection of stylish, functional and affordable home furnishings."

Varela, who relocated to the Tampa area from South Florida, started at IKEA after working at several department store chains. A native of Havana who grew up in Barcelona and Philadelphia, Varela joined IKEA in 1989 as U.S. sales manager responsible for textiles. In 1997, she moved to France to be a commercial/supply manager within the IKEA Distribution Services team. Two years later, Varela joined IKEA Spain as the country sales leader, and then as assistant store manger for sales at a Madrid-area IKEA store. In 2004, Varela returned to the U.S. as assistant store manager for sales at IKEA Elizabeth (NJ) near New York City. Three years later, Varela was named deputy store manager at IKEA Sunrise (FL) where she served until now becoming store manager of IKEA Tampa.

Photo courtesy of the St. Pete Times.

TBO Article: Tampa Ikea May Begin Hiring In January, Store Says

Article and Photo Courtesy of TBO

By Michael Sasso, The Tampa Tribune

December 9, 2008

"Ikea, the mammoth furniture retailer known for Swedish designs and Swedish meatballs, may begin recruiting workers by January. 

An Ikea representative gave media tours today of the showroom under construction on Adamo Drive just south of Ybor City. The store will be the company's largest in Florida at 353,000 square feet, about 40,000 square feet larger than Ikea's Orlando store and 60,000 square feet larger than its Sunrise store, said Ikea U.S. public affairs director Joseph Roth. 

Recently, the company finished interviews with job candidates for roughly 50 open management positions at the store, most of which will be filled by local candidates. The company also has hired a store manager, 19-year Ikea veteran Monica Varela, who most recently helped open the company's new South Florida store. 

Ikea's Tampa store will employ about 400 people, and the company expects to begin recruiting for nonmanagement positions in January. Roth would not reveal the company's pay scale. 

Construction is on schedule for the store to open in the summer, although the company doesn't have a date." 

10/28/08 IKEA Tampa Press Release

ICONIC BLUE EXTERIOR TRANSFORMS FUTURE Tampa bay ikea STORE

 

Blue Walls Now Visible on Swedish Retailer’s Tampa Store Opening Summer 2009

 

TAMPA, FL – IKEA, the world’s leading home furnishings retailer, today noted that exterior painting essentially is complete for its store opening next spring in the Ybor City-area of Tampa .  This iconic blue painting represents another milestone in the build-up of the future store, and ensures IKEA Tampa will reflect the unique blue and yellow architectural design for which IKEA stores are known worldwide. 

 

“With our walls mostly painted, we continue to advance other exterior and interior work as part of the build-up effort,” said Michael Maier, IKEA real estate manager.  “We are turning the physical structure into what our many Tampa Bay customers have come to appreciate as an IKEA store.  We know they are anxious for us to open.”

TBO Article: "Some Assembly Required"

"If you happen to pass the construction site for the Ikea store going up at Adamo Drive and 22nd Street in Tampa, you might think the project is on a fast track. Since clearing the land in April, construction crews have erected the walls, and within the next several weeks, steel framing to support the roof should be in place, said Joseph Roth, a spokesman for the furniture and housewares chain. Roth said the company is moving at a steady pace to meet the construction timeline. The 350,000-square-foot store is expected to open as planned in the summer."

The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 6, 2008

The Walls are Up! Part 2

Top Photo: The West Wall

Bottom Photo: The East Wall

The Walls are Up!

This just in...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 25, 2008

CONSTRUCTION OF IKEA TAMPA ADVANCES WITH KEY WALLS NOW UP

 

Swedish Retailer’s 3^rd FL Store and 6^th in Southeast on Track to open Summer 2009

 

TAMPA, FL – IKEA, the world’s leading home furnishings retailer, today noted all major walls are upright and in place for its future store opening next summer in Tampa , FL.   The 353,000 square-foot IKEA Tampa, with 1,700 parking spaces, will be built on 29 acres along Adamo Drive at 22^nd Street and the Crosstown Expressway, and will reflect the same unique architectural design for which IKEA stores are known worldwide. 

IKEA Sweepstakes and BIG News Alert for Tomorrow

IKEA wants to know more about you! Why? So they can send you personalized eNewsletters filled with the news, tips and offers you really want. Their recently redesigned member page makes it fun and easy to tell them a bit about how you live and work. And, you can request a 2009 catalog there, as well. Click here and either complete a new online registration or update your current registration by September 14 and you will be entered in the What's New With You Sweepstakes. You could win one of 90 $50 IKEA Gift Cards, or even one worth $500!

Also, make sure you pick up a copy of the St. Pete Times tomorrow, as the City Times section will be featuring yours truly, along with other IKEA lovers, and even a few people that are...well let's just say...still trying to find their way, bless their little hearts ;)

The New IKEA 2009 Catalog is Here!!!

How exciting!!! Go here to check it out! (And remember to take your IKEA 2008 catalogs to IKEA on your next visit, as they are recycling them.)