At IKEA Miami, customers recently gathered over food as a symphony orchestra performed in the store. At IKEA Paramus in New Jersey, a college expo led some visitors to continue meeting for trivia, bingo and informal gatherings. And at IKEA Nagasandra in Bengaluru, hundreds joined a midnight scavenger hunt, exploring the store and meeting new people along the way.
At IKEA Miami, customers recently gathered over food as a symphony orchestra performed in the store. At IKEA Paramus in New Jersey, a college expo led some visitors to continue meeting for trivia, bingo and informal gatherings. And at IKEA Nagasandra in Bengaluru, hundreds joined a midnight scavenger hunt, exploring the store and meeting new people along the way.
Three places, in three different parts of the world, with a similar idea behind them – an IKEA store can be a place to shop, but also to meet and spend time together.
“Physical places offer something digital channels cannot fully replace – atmosphere, chance encounters and a sense of belonging,” says Javier Quiñones, Global Commercial Manager, Ingka Group. “We want IKEA stores to remain open to the everyday moments that make people feel welcome – whether they come to buy a sofa, try our meatballs, meet friends or listen to a performance.”
Recent research from Ingka Group shows that 80% of families with children say visiting physical locations provides richer experiences, while more than 73% of younger consumers say they prefer to visit a retail store weekly.
A daily ritual in Breda
For 17 years, 77-year-old Wim Houtepen has visited IKEA Breda in the Netherlands almost every day, often twice a day. He is one of a group of two dozen regular visitors, many of them retirees, who have made the store a familiar place to meet.
“Every day we have the same routine – safety checks, checking in with the day managers, and welcoming Wim and his friends for their morning coffee,” says Solomon Lau, Market Manager, IKEA Breda. “We cannot imagine starting our day in any other way.”
Another regular is 67-year-old Ismail Kurt from Etten-Leur, who started visiting during the pandemic. What began as coffee has become a way to stay socially connected.
Meeting a changing city in Bengaluru
Midnight scavenger hunt at IKEA in Bengaluru
In Bengaluru, IKEA Nagasandra has been exploring a different kind of community role. Known as India’s technology capital, Bengaluru is shaped by migration – many people move there for work, education and opportunity, often arriving without established social networks.
Against this backdrop, IKEA Nagasandra hosted a midnight scavenger hunt as part of a local community initiative. The event brought together hundreds of participants for an experience built around collaboration, exploration and play.
The result was less about a single event and more about what a store can make possible – a shared experience in a city where many people are looking for new ways to belong.
As Ingka Group continues to improve its stores for greater convenience and home furnishing inspiration, moments like these point to another role physical retail can play – helping people meet, connect and spend time together.
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