Sneak peek inside Jacksonville IKEA ahead of grand opening

Ahead of the much-anticipated IKEA grand opening in Jacksonville, Action News Jax got a sneak peek inside Thursday.

After a year of construction, the single-level 290,000-square foot store will open Nov 8.

Store manager Leontyne Green Sykes said she is counting down the days.

“We are so excited,” Green Sykes said. “We are expecting lots of folks from Jacksonville to come out.”

Green Sykes said it’s been rewarding to be part of the store’s transformation.

“Just having the opportunity to be here from the very beginning, where it was just a building with no walls, to actually having all this home furnishing inspiration is so exciting,” Green Sykes said.

The store features 50 room displays and 10,000 exclusively-designed products.

It also has a 275-seat restaurant that offers a variety of dishes, including the iconic Swedish meatballs.

The store hired 325 employees, which is 75 more positions than what the company originally intended to fill.

Green Sykes said they are preparing for the holiday rush.

“I think coming right before the holidays will make holiday shopping a little more fun,” Green Sykes said. “We want to make sure that everyone has an enjoyable customer experience.”

IKEA Jacksonville is the fifth store in Florida and 46^th in the U.S.

The opening for Nov. 8 includes a full schedule of family-friendly events, special offers and thousands of dollars in gift cards and merchandise, according to the store.

“We want customers to thoroughly enjoy the grand opening experience. In preparation, we have worked with the city of Jacksonville to secure additional overflow parking and we will have shuttles available for those directed to our temporary parking spaces,” said Green Sykes.

Fun giveaways throughout the grand opening weekend include:

• Rest Assured- The first 46 adults (18 & older) in IKEA Jacksonville will receive a free EKTORP three-seat sofa, honoring our 46th U.S. store.
• Take a Seat (And We Mean Take It!)* –The next 100 adults (18 & older) will receive a free POÄNG armchair.
• For the (Truly) Young at Heart – The first 100 children (17 & younger) in IKEA Jacksonville will receive a free FAMNIG heart-shaped soft toy.
• Pick a Card, Any Card – The first 2,500 adults (18 & older) in IKEA Jacksonville will receive a random prize envelope with IKEA Gift Cards ranging from $10 to $250, or a "Buy One, Get One Free" cinnamon bun, hotdog or soft-serve frozen yogurt voucher.
• Happy Birthday to You and Us – The first 100 adults (18 & older) bringing proof to IKEA Jacksonville that their birthday is the same as the store's will receive a gift card for $46, a tie-in corresponding to IKEA Jacksonville as the 46th U.S. IKEA store. Offer valid only on Nov. 8.

• Sleep Like Royalty – The first 46 adults (18 & older) in IKEA Jacksonville will receive a free queen-sized HAUGESUND mattress.
• Cozy Comfort – The next 100 adults (18 & older) in IKEA Jacksonville will receive a free ALINA "sleep set" that includes bedspread and cushion covers.
• Kids' Best Friend – The first 100 children (17 & younger) in IKEA Jacksonville will receive a free GOSIG golden dog soft toy.

• Cook Like a Pro – The first 46 adults (18 & older) in IKEA Jacksonville will receive a free 4-piece SENSUELL cookware set.
• Meatballs for a Year – The next 100 adults (18 & older) in IKEA Jacksonville will receive a voucher for 12 monthly meatball meals for two at IKEA Jacksonville's Restaurant through next year, expiring on November 30, 2018.
• A Cold Sweet-ish Treat – The first 100 children (17 & under) in IKEA Jacksonville will receive a voucher for a soft-serve frozen yogurt available that day at IKEA Jacksonville's Exit Bistro.

• A Meal on Us- As a thank you for your service, veterans can enjoy a complimentary entree in the IKEA Restaurant by showing a form of military ID (active/reserve/retired).

• Play Big If You're Little – Balloon artists, entertainment and face-painting will enhance the family-friendly fun at IKEA Jacksonville from November 8 through November 12, 2017.
• Enter Our Home, Enter to Win – From November 8 through November 12, 2017, visitors to IKEA Jacksonville may enter for a chance to win one of twenty $250 IKEA Gift Cards through the IKEA FAMILY loyalty program.  
  

TONIGHT ON CBS47 at 6: Lorena Inclan talks to the city of Jacksonville and the Florida Department of Transportation about how they plan to deal with the influx of traffic that IKEA will bring to the area.

Cox Media Group