Ikea Arlon will start its expansion work at the end of the summer, the company confirmed to Delano’s sister publication Paperjam. The company aims to open this 2,000m2 extension in 2023, according to spokesperson Colombine Nicolay.

The store opened in 2005 and currently covers 35,500m2. The pandemic has boosted online sales: they have increased fourfold, according to manager Christopher Burman.

To cope with this development, the store initially erected a marquee on its vast car park to prepare these orders. It has also applied for planning permission to expand with this new area dedicated to its employees and external service providers in charge of deliveries.

Last Friday, the temporary building collapsed. “An investigation is underway with the insurance companies to determine the exact cause, but it seems that snow and wind were the cause of the collapse,” says Ikea.

The company says it has received the green light from the authorities to build the concrete extension. “The start of the works is planned for after the summer of 2022, for an opening in 2023.” The municipality of Arlon confirmed granting a single permit on 7 February.

125 orders to Luxembourg disrupted

Until Friday, the tent housed click & delivery activities and deliveries of items ordered from the Arlon shop to customers based in Luxembourg. “The tent was unoccupied at the time of the collapse,” Ikea said. The incident affected some 125 orders, and customers have been notified that their deliveries have been rescheduled.

Ikea is expected to reinstall the temporary equipment “within the next few weeks” before backhoes and other construction equipment enter the site after the summer.

Ikea Arlon welcomes 1.4 million visitors per year (before the pandemic), of which 55% are Luxembourg residents. Last year, the department store invested €2.5m in a new, more immersive customer experience. It employs around 350 people.

This story was first published in French on . It has been translated and edited for Delano.