Hey Da! Recently, a man wearing what appeared to be a bright yellow Ikea uniform was spotted walking through downtown San Francisco, possibly a sign of the company’s intention to open its Market Street store this year.
A Twitter user also reported that the store’s iconic blue and yellow branding was posted, showing the Ikea’s interior filled with what appear to be empty storage shelves.
The long-awaited furniture store is set to open the new Livat Mall near a former Whole Foods store that closed in early April. Ikea began construction on the 87,000-square-foot space in February 2022 after purchasing the vacant mall for nearly $200 million. Livat is Swedish and means “lively action”.
The Swedish company is currently hiring in San Francisco. His website has numerous job vacancies for part-time and full-time positions. Positions listed include design planners, retail associates, and receptionists.
Downtown advocacy groups are hoping the new Ikea-centric mall will help revitalize San Francisco’s ailing mid-market district.
Ikea announced in April that the new store would have 24-hour security, just a week after nearby Whole Foods announced its abrupt closure over staff safety concerns.
A man who appeared to be wearing an Ikea uniform was spotted on Geary Boulevard and Van Ness Avenue in downtown San Francisco on Thursday. | Ida Mojadad/The Standard
“The safety of our employees and customers is always a top priority for Ikea. Ikea San Francisco, which will be part of a new Ingka Centers hangout on Market Street, will be manned with a security team at all times,” an Ikea spokesman said in an email in April.
RELATED: Downtown San Francisco Whole Foods is closing a year after opening
It’s unclear exactly when the new Ikea store will open, as Ingka Centres, Ikea’s parent company, has repeatedly changed the furniture store’s opening date. Previous information from the company said the store would open in late 2023.
Ikea did not respond to multiple requests for an update on when the store would open at the time of publication. The standard could not verify whether the worker spotted was actually an Ikea employee.
“We strive for excellent partnerships with all local, state and federal agencies, including law enforcement, and work with them when the situation calls for it,” an Ikea spokesman said in April. “As we vigorously move forward with construction, we remain loyal to the site and will be sharing with you our exciting plans for the grand opening of Ikea San Francisco over the coming months.”
Ingka Centers acquired the Livat Mall property from MSP Property LLP in September 2020 and announced at the time that the Ikea store was expected to open in autumn 2021. In July 2022, the mall’s architect Gensler submitted plans to renovate the property for $10.6 million. It used to be known as the 6×6 mall.
