Dubai’s largest Ikea store opens in new Festival Plaza mall in Jebel Ali

The largest Ikea store in Dubai – the brand’s third in the UAE – opened on Wednesday in Jebel Ali.

Based in Al Futtaim’s new Festival Plaza in the Wasl Gate community, which also opened on the same day, the store is spread across 35,500 square metres.

The store includes a 5,000 square metre training area for Ikea employees and also has the ‘world’s tallest Ikea navigation tower’, a statement said.

Targeted at nearby communities such as Jebel Ali, Al Furjan, Dubai Marina and surrounding communities, the store also features smart home solutions, digital signage and 16 home planning wall projectors.

It will also have a customer planning studio for those seeking extensive kitchen and bathroom requirements while the lighting department will have an exclusive area for all smart home lighting products.

The Ikea restaurant, accessible directly from the mall, has a capacity of 550 seats – indoor and outdoor. Featuring a tandoori oven, it will have self-ordering terminals and self-service kiosks.

A new bakery will offer bread and pastries including Swedish classics and products such as rye bread, cinnamon bun, baguettes and croissants.

In terms of sustainability, solar panels will provide for over 20 per cent of the store’s energy needs. Ikea will also recycle 90 per cent of its operational waste annually to reach a target of using only renewable or recycled materials for its products by 2030, the statement said.

The wider Festival Plaza mall covers 64,800 square metres and will also include a flagship Ace outlet and a new entertainment concept. Overall, it will feature over 120 shops, a 500-seat food court, over 40 dining and eating options, a ‘Stay and Play’ offering, a kids club and over 2,300 parking spaces.

Read: New Al Futtaim mall in Dubai with Ikea, Ace to open in December