Ikea opened its first store in Michigan in June 2006 and the fun hasn't let up yet. Weekends shoppers will find a DJ playing tunes in the parking lot, hot dog vendors dishing out 50-cent lunches.
The store has been so successful it put approximately 100 temporary employees on the permanent payroll of more than 500 workers. And it's running four shuttles to two overflow parking lots, aside from the one that has room for 1,300 vehicles around the bright blue and yellow store.
"Foot traffic has definitely exceeded all expectations. Sales wise, yeah, we're above target," McCaslin said. "It's more, from my standpoint, a question of after school starts what traffic will be like in October. Then we will see how busy we will be."
And McCaslin has a host of promotions planned to keep up the pace through the end of the year, including a back-to-college giveaway that's likely to entice students -- a drawing for a year's free tuition up to $20,000. Entries will be accepted at the store from Wednesday to September 30.
Retailers, restaurants and hotels near the Swedish retailer said they are booming as well. The Fairfield Inn Marriot, for example, that's across Haggerty Road from Ikea is planning an addition to handle the extra business.
And the Chili's restaurant in the same shopping center has seen a 40% boost in sales. Store manager Eric Davis has hired 10 more servers and five cooks to keep up with the extra business.
We love that IKEA -- a store that could easily rest on it's reputation -- is all over Shoppertainment! Do they have to have a DJ on weekends? Nope. And they don't have to host an in-store event each month, but it sure sounds like that's what they have in mind.
A recent study showed that 78% of SATISFIED customers will go someplace else to shop if the someplace else is more fun. Note that said SATISFIED customers, customers who already know and love your store.
So here's the question of the day: Is YOUR store fun? And here's a few more: Is your promotional calendar full? Have you begun planning events for the holiday season? You need to run one MAJOR and at least two MINOR in-store events each month. If you haven't begun planning holiday 2006, you'd better start now. Go back and re-visit our blog entries in November and December. If you don't find something of interest, give us an call. We'll be glad to help you get started!
The store has been so successful it put approximately 100 temporary employees on the permanent payroll of more than 500 workers. And it's running four shuttles to two overflow parking lots, aside from the one that has room for 1,300 vehicles around the bright blue and yellow store.
"Foot traffic has definitely exceeded all expectations. Sales wise, yeah, we're above target," McCaslin said. "It's more, from my standpoint, a question of after school starts what traffic will be like in October. Then we will see how busy we will be."
And McCaslin has a host of promotions planned to keep up the pace through the end of the year, including a back-to-college giveaway that's likely to entice students -- a drawing for a year's free tuition up to $20,000. Entries will be accepted at the store from Wednesday to September 30.
Retailers, restaurants and hotels near the Swedish retailer said they are booming as well. The Fairfield Inn Marriot, for example, that's across Haggerty Road from Ikea is planning an addition to handle the extra business.
And the Chili's restaurant in the same shopping center has seen a 40% boost in sales. Store manager Eric Davis has hired 10 more servers and five cooks to keep up with the extra business.
We love that IKEA -- a store that could easily rest on it's reputation -- is all over Shoppertainment! Do they have to have a DJ on weekends? Nope. And they don't have to host an in-store event each month, but it sure sounds like that's what they have in mind.
A recent study showed that 78% of SATISFIED customers will go someplace else to shop if the someplace else is more fun. Note that said SATISFIED customers, customers who already know and love your store.
So here's the question of the day: Is YOUR store fun? And here's a few more: Is your promotional calendar full? Have you begun planning events for the holiday season? You need to run one MAJOR and at least two MINOR in-store events each month. If you haven't begun planning holiday 2006, you'd better start now. Go back and re-visit our blog entries in November and December. If you don't find something of interest, give us an call. We'll be glad to help you get started!
