Flats to flatpack: Ballymun IKEA opens
And while the Ballymun Towers are no more, the flatter surrounds are a more fitting location for the signature store.
But a bumpy ride may be in store for those wanting to see what the self-claimed experts at fitting out small spaces may have to offer as improvement works in the area are still far from complete.
IKEA, however, dismissed fears of mayhem on the M50 on Monday during a media preview of the store yesterday.
Store manager Garry Deakin said the Ballymun junction was expected to open to traffic on Friday evening.
Fingal County Council said it is also satisfied that work upgrading the M50 interchange would be sufficient to handle the thousands of shoppers.
The new store, with a 500-strong workforce, is located on 12.6 hectares in the Ballymun Regeneration Zone and covers 31,500sq m over two floors.
Facilities include 1,825 parking spaces that are free of charge except weekdays between 4pm and 8pm when there is a charge of €3 – part of the planning conditions to discourage shoppers hitting rush hour traffic.
As well as 9,500 products set out in over 50 fully finished room and home layouts, the store has a restaurant, bistro and cafe, a Swedish food hall and a creche.
Mr Deakin, said all of their products were priced below that of the cheapest comparable item available in the Irish market.
IKEA does not price their products to sterling and while there is a difference of 6.5% in VAT rates between the Republic and Northern Ireland, Mr Deakin did not think the difference would encourage shoppers to travel to their Belfast store that opened in 2007.
Building work on the new Dublin store started last January and the premises were ready to be fitted out in November, a process that only takes a matter of weeks.
But IKEA, who succeeded in getting the planning laws changed for the store, had to wait for the green light from the council before announcing the grand opening.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
