Overcast skies and a morning chill did not dampen the spirits of eager furniture shoppers who lined up Wednesday morning in Burbank to be the first inside the largest Ikea in the country.
At 456,000 square feet, the new hub is the Swedish retailer’s biggest Ikea store in the United States, and it stocks 10,000 items, officials said.
At 6 a.m., customers could start lining up at the store on San Fernando Road south of Providencia Avenue, about a mile from the previous Ikea location.
That store, which opened in 1990 as California’s first Ikea, closed Saturday.
• PHOTOS: New Burbank Ikea opens to eager crowds
There was a partylike atmosphere outside the giant store, where soon-to-be customers enjoyed music and balloons amid cheers.
The first 26 in line — representing how long Ikea has been a Burbank retailer — received a $799 Landskrona sofa. The next 100 customers received a $109 Poang armchair, and the first 100 children in line took home a heart-shaped stuffed toy.
More than 1,500 people were in line by 8 a.m., according to a report from the scene.
And there’s also a little something different for children: a supervised play area called Småland, after an area in Sweden, where parents can drop off their kids, get a pager and then go shop. The parents are required to periodically renew the pager during their visit.
• VIDEO: Wild welcome for customers at new Burbank Ikea, largest in U.S.
The store has about 575 employees — up 150 from the old location — and includes 50 room settings, three model home interiors, a children’s play area and a 600-seat restaurant serving up its signature Swedish meatballs, now including chicken and veggie versions.
• 360 DEGREES OF IKEA: See a panoramic photo of the new Ikea Burbank warehouse
And if you’re concerned about parking, the new store has 1,700 parking spaces.
Ikea has 392 stores in 48 countries, including 43 in the United States.
City News Service contributed to this report.
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