Sarasota IKEA opening delayed as launch timeline shifts

The Sarasota IKEA store at University Town Center is now scheduled to open this winter.

The 48,000-square-foot UTC store will be a large-format store many shoppers are familiar with, complete with the Swedish Bite Café, known for its Swedish meatballs.

IKEA originally projected a summer 2026 opening, but on July 11, USA TODAY reported that a winter opening is planned for the store at 147 N. Cattleman Road, which is part of a roughly 86,000-square-foot expansion of new retail, restaurant and service space at UTC that also includes another furniture retailer, West Elm, that will open an 18,000-square-foot space adjacent to L.L. Bean in The West District at UTC.

How many stores will IKEA be opening soon?

Sarasota's new store is one of seven scheduled to open across the U.S. through winter 2027.

Six of the locations of the popular global home furnishings and furniture chain, including the new 48,000-square-foot store in Sarasota, will be the familiar larger-format stores. One will be one of the chain's newer small-store formats.

"At IKEA, our focus is on making it easier for more people to access affordable, well‑designed home furnishings," said Rob Olson, interim CEO of IKEA U.S., in an April press release. "Opening a new store in Sarasota builds on our broader efforts to meet customers where they are, including expanding our footprint in Florida last year through five new Plan and order points with Pick‑up at select Best Buy locations across the state."

Now the closest IKEA store is at 1103 N 22nd Street, Tampa.

What will shoppers find at the new Sarasota IKEA?

The new location will be 48,000 square feet of home furnishings, decor, and furniture, with more than 5,000 products on display, the company said.

More than 3,000 curated items, accessories, lighting, textiles and over 100 small furniture pieces will be available to buy and take away on the spot, IKEA said. Larger items, such as sofas, beds and the entire IKEA range of furniture, can be ordered online or in-store, available for free pickup or delivery with a charge. There will also be an as-is section, featuring "gently used" products and discontinued items at reduced prices.

Customers will be able to schedule one-on-one consultations for personalized design advice, and the chain's famous Swedish deli will be serving up meatballs, plant balls, falafel balls, veggie dogs, cinnamon buns and more, to eat while you shop or to take home.

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This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Sarasota IKEA opening delayed as launch timeline shifts

Reporting by Earle Kimel and C. A. Bridges, Sarasota Herald-Tribune / Sarasota Herald-Tribune

USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Copyright Reuters or USA Today Network via Reuters Connect

This story was originally published July 14, 2026 at 4:58 PM.