Coquitlam’s Ikea store has reopened its doors following a closure that lasted more than two months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The store is among the last three to open in Canada after the Swedish furniture retailer shuttered its business to the public on March 18. The store has now opened all 14 of its locations across Canada.
But while you’ll now have a chance to browse the store’s pre-fabricated aisles, the shopping experience will not be the same.
With “much-stricter capacities” in place, shoppers can expect lineups to get into the store, as well as a myriad of shifting closures to sections of the store as bottlenecks force staff to limit gatherings, according to spokesperson Kristin Newbigging.
“We know there’s demand for our products… People are working from home, teaching new children at home, a lot of people thinking of staycations,” she told the Tri-City News. “But we’re asking customers, if there’s nothing they need right away, perhaps wait a week before coming to our stores.”
Newbigging also asked customers to try coming during off-peak hours, browse online before coming in and, if someone is looking to return something, to wait a few weeks.
If you do come in, don’t expect a leisurely meal of Swedish meatballs and lingonberry fizzy drink. In a press release Monday, Ikea said that because of its newly implemented “enhanced, preventative health and safety measures” its restaurant and children’s play area will remain closed, while its bistro will be open for take-out only.
The store is also encouraging, though not requiring, all customers to wear masks while in the store. For its part, staff will be sanitizing the surfaces of displays and carts, has installed separation screens at the cash register and is offering hand sanitizer throughout the store.
Workers will also be required to go through a screening process before they enter the store, which includes a temperature check.
