Having finally opened, a number of our team recently visited - Here are their thoughts on this new addition to London's busiest shopping street.
With whisperings dating back to 2015, the hype around IKEA’s ‘City’ Oxford Street debut has been building for almost a decade. In British culture, the brand is quite literally part of the furniture, so it was no surprise to see hundreds of visitors queuing up over the Mayday bank holiday weekend for the grand unzipping of the giant iconic Frakta bag.
The D&P team had heard about IKEA’s innovative ‘culture clusters’, the ‘sensory corner’, the live studio and the community-curated shops – as well as the £1 meatball offer – and we made sure to go and check it out.
"We targeted Oxford Street because we want to be part of the high street," Matt Gould, Ikea Marketing Manager.
A lot of the work has been around trying to be IKEA and what they're known for, but also throwing in some differences.
Here’s some of our thoughts…
With the ongoing debate about the role of physical retail, IKEA’s Marketing Manager Matt Gould explains how IKEA actively “wants to be part of the high street". Claiming a spot on one of the busiest streets in Europe is clearly a testament to the brand's deep-rooted place in the hearts and homes of Londoners. Speaking to Dezeen, Gould goes on to describe how the space has been moulded from insights learned at sibling stores in urban locations like Hammersmith, where customers have responded positively to the traditional flow journey and favour the distinct, room-specific areas over open-plan shop floors.
For some, this familiar structure feels underwhelming after a rumoured £450m investment and years of build-up, but in its defence, IKEA retail boss Stefan Vanoverbeke says that “It’s not just the marketing investment, it is the fantastic full IKEA experience.”
In our eyes, the space feels true to its roots - feeling inherently fun and joyful. Maybe what’s special about this opening isn’t that it's a dramatic departure from the tried and tested format – it’s a statement that IKEA are key players in the community and they are here to stay.
So what does this new space do differently and do well? In short, it focuses on Curation, Community and Convenience.
In short, it focuses on Curation, Community and Convenience...
Curation
At ground level, IKEA is stepping into the lives of its customers, getting personal with curated shops that have been selected and crafted by Londoners for Londoners. These community-built displays reflect the diversity and character of its residents — turning stores into stories. Claiming a place in the cultural conversation, this space also features the ‘Blue Edit’ Gallery, a tribute to some of its iconic designs, which introduces visitors to IKEA’s Digital Museum — a celebration of its heritage and brand history.
Community
On the lower ground floor, IKEA has urban living front-of-mind. Similarly to the curated shops, the new small format showrooms - now called ‘culture clusters’ - are also designed by city dwellers to add authenticity to the compact spaces. They feel realistic and reflective of city life. A global first, the versatile 25m² ‘Live Studio’ hosts pop-up exhibitions and events, celebrating and supporting local London talent in the heart of the creative capital. Staying true to their family-friendly ethos, the space easily transforms into an immersive sensory corner for children. With both locals and tourists in mind, there’s an emphasis on small, iconic merch and quick bites throughout the journey — perfect for spontaneous shopping, social media moments and gifting opportunities to diversify the offering.
Convenience
We also found the traffic light system a very clever addition to help navigate the 1200 products available, with red and yellow tags clearly indicating which items you can take home today and which are for delivery or collection. Tailored to London’s fast-paced lifestyle, the in-store experience is fully streamlined and frictionless.
Meals are served in takeaway formats and are ordered via fast-food-style self-service screens for speed and ease. Descend once more and the lower basement level provides yet more items, complete with digital stock screens and self-checkouts. For savvy shoppers, the IKEA App can help beat the queues by scanning purchases as you shop and paying at a dedicated check-out on your way out. As a thoughtful addition, a free selection of spare parts are available for all your flat pack needs.
This is aligned and cohesive, committed to the playful character people know and trust.
Doing what it does best
After the welcome wagon had been and gone, reactions varied to the opening. Despite the bold change in setting, many have been surprised to find that IKEA is essentially still the IKEA we all know and love.
IKEA Oxford Circus stays true to its classic “The Wonderful Everyday” offering. The brand feels aligned and cohesive, committed to the playful character customers know and trust. As Gould reiterates, "With the city stores, a lot of the work has been around trying to be IKEA and what we're known for, but then also throwing in some differences."
As communities evolve, so does the brand’s response. We think that the new opening reflects a bold, thoughtful shift - one that embraces the people and places it serves – and we’re excited to see how this dynamic relationship continues to shape the future, not just of IKEA, but of the retail experience.
