Here on 1812Blockhouse, we have been known to look at day trips from Greater Mansfield. Part of the enjoyment in living in Richland County, after all, is its proximity to a wide variety of interesting and top-notch attractions.
Next month, a new shopping experience is coming to the Polaris area north of Columbus – one which is sure to tempt more than a handful of local visitors. The arrival of Ohio’s second Ikea store is already being heralded by area media as the source for summer traffic snarls on I-71.
In a Wednesday story in the Columbus Dispatch entitled, “Ikea’s opening crowds could force closings of Interstate 71 exits,” the paper suggests that the 10,000 to 15,000 daily customers during the first week (which begins on June 7) might result in the closing of the Polaris Parkway and Gemini exits.
The new store features some 354,000 square feet of retail space, 50 room settings, three model home interiors, a children’s playground, and a 450 seat restraurant, the Dispatch added.
According to Wikipedia, Ikea has been the world’s largest furniture retailer since 2008, and operates 392 stores in 48 countries. The world’s largest Ikea is in Gwangmyeong, South Korea, and occupies 640,000 square feet.
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