Content about Jardine Matheson Group

Conshohocken, Pa.-based IKEA announced plans to expand its Round Rock, Texas, store, adding 54,000 sq. ft. and more parking.

The Round Rock store in central Texas will expand from 252,000 sq. ft. to 306,000 sq. ft. Construction activity will begin this month, with an expected completion in summer 2012. The store will remain open during construction.

The size of the store's warehouse capacity is "less than ideal" currently, the company said.

IKEA officially plugged-in the solar energy system installed at its store in East Palo Alto, Calif.  

The 38,000-square-foot array consists of a 302-kW system, built with approximately 1,344 panels.  IKEA East Palo Alto’s program will produce approximately 427,900 kWh of clean electricity annually – the equivalent of eliminating the emissions of 58 cars, the company said.

IKEA will open its first store in Colorado this summer with a Denver area location in Centennial, Colo. The grand opening is set for July 27, much earlier than originally planned due to the fast pace of construction and “timely reviews by local authorities,” according to the home furnishings retailer.

The 415,000 sq. ft. store is being built on 13.5 acres. In addition to solar panels on the roof, the Denver location will be IKEA’s first store to integrate a geothermal component as part of its heating/cooling system.