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IKEA Museum to Take Over Original Store
By Rich Christianson
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IKEA plans to transform its inaugural store, which opened in Almhult, Sweden, in 1958, into the IKEA Museum.
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IKEA has been producing an annual catalog of its its home furnishings since the early 1960s.
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IKEA was registered in 1943, at the height of WW II, by company founder Ingvar Kamprad. In those formative years, IKEA sold fountain pens, cigarette lighters and nylon stockings among other things..
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During the 1950s, moved IKEA operations to Älmhult, Sweden, the first catalog arrived, and the first ready-to-assemble IKEA furniture was launched. In the newly opened furniture exhibition, such as this teak furniture.
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During the 1960s, IKEA expanded on many different levels. Part of the company's furniture production moved abroad and new stores were opened throughout Scandinavia. Oak replaced teak as the range of furnishings was expanded and for the first time customers were picking goods directly from the shelves.
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Solid pine furniture was hot during the '70s along with a whole new style for IKEA customers to furnish their homes. It was also during the '70s that IKEA opened stores in Europe and that the iconic BILLY bookcase, still produced today, was introduced.
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IKEA opened stores in several countries, including in North America during 1980s. Darker wood colors,, bright colors, metal, and colorful print fabrics came into vogue.
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White birch and silver typified the lighter colors of popular IKEA furnishings in the 1990s.Production grew and Children's IKEA was launched.
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There was much focus on social and sustainability Initiatives during the first decade of the 21st Century. IKEA introduced E-commerce on its website, which last year had 1.2 billion visits.

ALMHULT, SWEDEN - IKEA, international manufacturer and retailer of home furnishings, plans to transform its first store in Almhult into an IKEA museum.

CNN reported that IKEA expects that converting its first store that opened in 1958 into a 75,000-square-foot museum, will attract about 200,000 visitors annually when it opens next year. The store was closed in 2012 and replaced by a new store to serve Almhult-area consumers.

"The first and only IKEA Museum will be 'a house of stories' about people, challenges, opportunities, design, homes and home furnishings," IKEA said.

The IKEA Through the Ages exhibit, currently on display of the basement of IKEA's cultural center in Almhult, provides a first glimpse of what the IKEA museum will be about. It features 20 different room settings comprised of IKEA furniture and objects from the 1940s until the present. Check out the accompanying slide show to view some of the exhibit's vignettes.

Recent IKEA News

IKEA Founder Resigns from Active Operations

Sauder Woodworking Gets IKEA Furniture Deal, Invests $13 Million

IKEA Opens Russian Furniture Plant, Closes Another

IKEA's Swedwood Regains FSC Certification

Since opening its first store 56 years ago, IKEA as of last year operated 345 stores in 42 countries. Some 775 million in-store shoppers and 1.2 billion web visitors led to total sales of EUR 29.2 billion (approximately $39.7 billion).

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