For many years, Kelowna residents have been longing for their very own IKEA store.
Unfortunately, the Central Okanagan city is still far too small for its own warehouse, but an alternative that will make a lot easier to order IKEA products to Kelowna is coming in 2026.
IKEA Canada announced Wednesday that a new Plan and order point will open in Kelowna at 104-1500 Banks Rd. in the spring.
It means people will be able to make one-on-one appointments with IKEA experts to plan, design and purchase home furnishings for any room.
They can then place an order to have those IKEA products either delivered to their homes or picked up from the Plan and order point location.
The Plan and order point in Kelowna will also have a limited number of smaller IKEA products for immediate purchase and takeaway.
Unfortunately, that doesn’t include meatballs as the Swedish retailer’s popular cafeteria option won’t be included in this smaller Kelowna location.
"We are thrilled to continue our growth in Western Canada where we have built a rich history and meaningful connections with the BC community," said Janet McGowan, IKEA Canada’s market area manager for Western Canada, through a media release.
"We look forward to providing our new neighbours in Kelowna with beautiful, functional and sustainable home furnishings that fit their budget and evolving needs at home."
IKEA Canada recently made all online and in-store planning services free of charge for customers, while the entry delivery fee was lowered from $39 to $19.
The cost of in-home kitchen planning and measuring was also decreased from $199 to $129 if you’re looking for expert help to come to your residence and help figure out a major project.
In a statement, IKEA Canada says Plan and order points are a way the company has transformed its business to deliver a seamless retail experience for customers all across Canada.
Plan and order points help drastically reduce distances customers have to travel to visit an IKEA location, which is four hours in the case of Kelowna residents.
"As the cost of living continues to rise and everything from groceries to gas becomes less affordable, it has become our priority to offer more affordable, functional and inspiring home furnishing solutions to Canadians,” explained Jesse Quick, IKEA Canada’s country business development and transformation manager.
The Kelowna location will be IKEA’s 12th Plan and order point location in Canada and second in British Columbia after Abbotsford.
