Want a discount on an IKEA couch? Take a trip to India.
Hyderabad, India, is home to a 16th-century mosque, several ornate palaces ... and soon, the world's largest IKEA cafeteria.
India's first-ever IKEA store is set to open Thursday, and it will feature cheaper products and a one-of-a-kind dining experience.
The Swedish retailer has been toying with an Indian expansion for over a decade, Reuters says, and is adapting its brand to fit the locale. The maiden store, located in the southern city of Hyderabad, will sell at least 1,000 items for less than 200 rupees ($2.91). Some products may be as much as 30 percent off the U.S. price, Reuters reports.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The store will employ more than 900 people, 150 of whom will work on assembling furniture — a break from IKEA's do-it-yourself model. Most furniture in India is custom-built and sold by carpenters, CNNMoney notes, which inspired the store to offer the service.
"We knew from the beginning that we cannot be arrogant and try to copy and paste," Juvencio Maetzu, IKEA's deputy CEO and chief financial officer, told CNNMoney. "We really put a lot of effort into listening and understanding."
The Hyderabad location will have IKEA's largest restaurant worldwide, and it will feature both Swedish and Indian cuisine on the menu. Swedish meatballs — a staple at IKEAs across the globe — will be made with chicken or vegetables instead of beef or pork to accommodate Indian dietary tendencies, says The Times of India.
The Hyderabad location will be followed by stores in Mumbai and Bangalore in 2019 and 2020, respectively, as part of the company's plan to expand across the country. Read more at Reuters.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Marianne is The Week’s Social Media Editor. She is a native Tennessean and recent graduate of Ohio University, where she studied journalism and political science. Marianne has previously written for The Daily Beast, The Crime Report, and The Moroccan Times.
-
Vladimir Putin's secret sons
Under The Radar A new report claims the Russian president has two young children who he keeps out of the public eye
By Elizabeth Carr-Ellis, The Week UK Published
-
8 touring theater productions to mark on your calendar this fall
The Week Recommends A pop icon, Shakespeare reconsidered and a sublime musical about mortality are all on the boards
By Scott Hocker, The Week US Published
-
Today's political cartoons - September 8, 2024
Cartoons Sunday's cartoons - circuitous thoughts, overheating circuits, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Empty-nest boomers aren't selling their big homes
Speed Read Most Americans 60 and older do not intend to move, according to a recent survey
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Brazil accuses Musk of 'disinformation campaign'
Speed Read A Brazilian Supreme Court judge has opened an inquiry into Elon Musk and X
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Disney board fends off Peltz infiltration bid
Speed Read Disney CEO Bob Iger has defeated activist investor Nelson Peltz in a contentious proxy battle
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Disney and DeSantis reach detente
Speed Read The Florida governor and Disney settle a yearslong litigation over control of the tourism district
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Visa and Mastercard agree to lower swipe fees
Speed Read The companies will cap the fees they charge businesses when customers use their credit cards
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Reddit IPO values social media site at $6.4 billion
Speed Read The company makes its public debut on the New York Stock Exchange
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Housing costs: the root of US economic malaise?
speed read Many voters are troubled by the housing affordability crisis
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Feds cap credit card late fees at $8
speed read The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau finalized a rule to save households an estimated $10 billion a year
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published