Hej Norwich! Ikea hits Alan Partridge country as it opens second of three new format small stores

Ikea this week opened a store in Hall Road Retail Park, Norwich, marked with a ribbon cutting ceremony attended by the Lord Mayor of Norwich, Councillor Paul Kendrick, as well as 40 co-workers.

The doors were then opened for the first customers to experience this new format, with a compact layout that aims to be easy to navigate and designed for everyday convenience.

Norwich is the second of three small stores to open this year, following the opening of Harlow in July, and with another location planned to open in Chester in the coming months.

The retail park locations are designed to offer a simpler, faster shopping experience for customers, where they can explore roomsets, shop second-hand finds, and take home a wide range of home furnishings and small furniture items the same day. Dedicated planning services for kitchens and bedrooms are also available, supported by a team of co-workers.

Along with the option to buy pre-loved items, customers can order from Ikea’s 2,000 strong product range, which can be delivered directly to their home or collected from the store, with free collection in 48 hours. Visitors can also enjoy a selection of Swedish food to eat in or take away.

Milosz Grobelny, Unit Manager at Ikea Norwich, says: “Our new small store allows customers to shop with Ikea quickly and conveniently, whether they’re seeking home furnishing inspiration, support with planning their dream kitchen, some of our signature food or just looking to browse. We are so excited about this new offering in Norwich, and I am so grateful to the community for giving us such a warm welcome today.”

Ikea is set to open a further two Plan and Order Points in Dundee and York, along with the aforementioned small store in Chester in 2025.

2025 RTIH INNOVATION AWARDS

Physical stores will be a key focus area at the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards.

The awards. which are now open for entries, celebrate global tech innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.

Our 2024 hall of fame entrants were revealed during an event which took place at RIBA’s 66 Portland Place HQ in Central London on 21st November, and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by comedian Lucy Porter.

In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “The event is now into its sixth year and what a journey it has been. The awards started life as an online only affair during the Covid outbreak, before launching as a small scale in real life event and growing year on year to the point where we’re now selling out this fine, historic venue.”

He added: “Congratulations to all of our finalists. Many submissions did not make it through to the final stage, and getting to this point is no mean feat. Checkout-free stores, automated supply chains, immersive experiences, on-demand delivery, next generation loyalty offerings, inclusive retail, green technology. We’ve got all the cool stuff covered this evening.”

“But just importantly we’ve got lots of great examples of companies taking innovative tech and making it usable in everyday operations - resulting in more efficiency and profitability in all areas.”

Congratulations to our 2024 winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Lucy Porter, and all those who attended November's gathering. 

For further information on the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards, please fill in the below form and we will get back to you asap.