CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--IKEA, the world’s leading home furnishings retailer, today announced the appointment of Trisha Bevering as manager of its future store opening late Fall 2016 in Memphis, TN. Until IKEA Memphis opens as the 43rd U.S. IKEA store and first in Tennessee, customers can shop at the closest IKEA stores: Atlanta, GA; Frisco, TX; or St. Louis, MO; or online at IKEA-USA.com.
“We are very excited about opening a store in Memphis, where there are many IKEA customers as well as others who may not know us yet, but are anxious for us to open,” said IKEA U.S. president Lars Petersson. “Trisha’s management experience and background in IKEA commerciality and sales more than qualify her to manage the future IKEA Memphis.”
“IKEA recognizes the strong customer base that exists in the Mid-South, so I am pleased about providing the approximately 40,000 customers who currently are shopping at IKEA elsewhere with a store of their own,” Bevering said. “I also look forward to introducing new customers to our unique product offering and family-friendly shopping experience.”
A native of Northern California, Bevering, who relocated to Tennessee from the San Francisco Bay Area, joined IKEA in 1995 as a graphics coworker at the Seattle-area store in Renton, WA. For eight years, she worked at that location in various roles including sales coworker, department shopkeeper, furniture sales manager, and interior design manager. In 2003, Bevering moved to the Netherlands on temporary assignment to help design the Dutch service office. Then, after returning to the U.S. to run her own interior design business, she rejoined IKEA in 2005 as the interior design manager for opening IKEA Bolingbrook, the second Chicago-area IKEA store. Four years later, Bevering became interior design manager of IKEA East Palo Alto where she served until now becoming IKEA Memphis store manager.
The 271,000 square-foot future IKEA Memphis store, including approximately 800 parking spaces, is being built on 35 acres in the Wolfchase Corridor along the southwestern side of Interstate-40 near the Germantown Parkway exit. The store will reflect the unique architectural design for which IKEA is known worldwide, and will include Tennessee’s largest rooftop solar array, consistent with the solar presence at 90% of IKEA U.S. locations.
IKEA Memphis will feature nearly 10,000 exclusively designed items, 50 inspirational room-settings, three model home interiors, a supervised children’s play area, and a 200-seat restaurant serving Swedish specialties such as meatballs with lingonberries and salmon plates, as well as American dishes. Other family-friendly features include a ‘Children’s IKEA’ area in the Showroom, baby care rooms, play areas throughout the store, and preferred parking. And – in addition to 500 jobs expected during construction – 225 coworkers will join the IKEA family when the store opens. Opportunities will be available in the summer for candidates interested in working at this employer of choice. IKEA Memphis also will provide annual sales and property tax revenue for local governments and schools.
Since its 1943 founding in Sweden, IKEA has offered home furnishings of good design and function at low prices so the majority of people can afford them. There are currently more than 380 IKEA stores in 48 countries, including 42 in the U.S. IKEA has been ranked among “Best Companies to Work For” and, as further investment in its coworkers, has raised its own minimum wage twice in two years. IKEA incorporates sustainability into day-to-day business and supports initiatives that benefit children and the environment. For more information see IKEA-USA.com, @IKEAUSANews, @IKEAUSA or IKEAUSA on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Pinterest.
