From enjoying a dip in the ball pit as children to furnishing our first homes, IKEA has been a large part of our lives for the last 36 years. Last month the brand-new IKEA 360, located in the new extension of 360 Kuwait was open to the public. And we have to tell you, it is a totally new and welcome experience.
The brand has always been customer-responsive and prides themselves on being great listeners to what customers ask for. We met with IKEA Al Homaizi Ltd. CEO Mr. Marino Maganto who explained that in Kuwait, the living room and bedroom are the most important areas of the home. People really spend a lot of time in these rooms and want these spaces to be special. IKEA has seen this directly reflected in their sales; sofas and beds are their bestsellers. The research team took that knowledge when they created IKEA 360 which strongly focuses on Living Room and Bedroom.
IKEA is a people company, they sell lifestyle solutions not just products, so they try really hard to understand people and Marino believes that people intuitively understand this and this is why they love shopping at IKEA. The new IKEA 360 was designed to inspire you and show different solutions to everyday concerns that most people have. By focusing on dreams, needs and wishes, the brand has been able to come up with different setups for closets, living spaces and bedrooms that suit every lifestyle, budget and taste.
Marino also told us that they were happy about the new location in 360 Kuwait because it offered them the “fantastic opportunity to be closer to their customers”. IKEA 360’s 3000 square meter space is dedicated to bedrooms and living rooms which is comparable to the same areas at The Avenues. Designed to purposefully show different room designs, the new space is inspirational as it is functional.
The new store offers a more personalized experience. They have created the brand new “Design Lounge” so you can be served and aided by a large team of home furnishing experts who can show you how to make the most of your home. They accept walk-ins, but you can also make an appointment if you want to take your time and really benefit from their amazing design team.
As shoppers, we loved browsing the different rooms. We could easily identify the products IKEA has always been known for, but in the new setup everything looks better utilized and more upscale. We love that we can now design the room of our dreams at the same affordable IKEA prices we all know, love and depend on.
They are also purposefully not calling it a showroom because this is something that has never been done before. IKEA is experimenting with new and different formats that they hope to share with the rest of the world. The brand is not moving away from big-store-formats, but is hoping to implement this more intimate approach in all the markets they operate in. And as Marino put it succinctly “This is a new way for us to present our ranges and communicate our designs.”
The IKEA Café, is another new addition. It is a completely different from the restaurant or the bistro that can be found in The Avenues. This little cozy eatery focuses on healthy and sustainable eating habits. You will find freshly made salads, smoothies, fresh juice and a whole array of new things that will also be taken to the Avenues later on. And don’t worry, they still serve their flaky buttery pastries that we all love. The menu is also going to be seasonal, so salads and smoothies will change based on the availability of fresh produce.
As we were browsing the mattress range, a staff member told us to slow down in front of the beds. And as we did, we noticed that the music changed. The store uses cutting edge motion detection technology to offer you a fully immersive experience. Which is an amazing accomplishment considering the entire project took just under six months from conception to opening. “My favorite thing about the new space is the journey the team made to get here [and get it open],” Marino told us.
In her opening ceremony speech, Ms Fadwa Al Homaizi, Managing Director and Chairman of the board summed it all up by saying “We want to exceed their expectations and fulfil their Home Furnishing needs and dreams with well designed, smart and functional solutions with the best value for money.” And we believe they have done just that. This is an experience that we truly enjoyed as customers and long-time IKEA fans.
Visit the new IKEA 360 on the first-floor in the new 360 Kuwait extension in Zahra. Follow @ikeakuwait for more information and updates. Feature image courtesy of IKEA Kuwait.
