IKEA, a Swedish origin company, opened its first stores in the United States in 1985. The company sells furniture, home décor, linens, housewares, and toys with a modern, Scandinavian design. In addition to more than 50 stores in the US, IKEA also runs an e-commerce website with more than 12,000 products. Their super megastores are known for their showrooms, snack bars, restaurants, and self-service furniture warehouses, as well as kitchen/bath planning centers and design advisors.
Named after the initials of its founder and the farm on which he grew up, IKEA began in 1943 in Älmhult, Sweden with the vision of creating a better life for people, no matter their budget. The founder, Ingvar Kamprad introduces affordable furniture and very quickly the company starts a catalog and looks for collaborations abroad. By 1953, they introduced a flat pack to overcome transportation issues, and the business model still relies heavily on this concept. The company now has more than 400 stores worldwide.
