Furniture giant is expected to bring 900 jobs to area

By Matt Cunningham
The sun was out, the dirt was dry and blue and yellow were the colors of the day at Tuesday’s groundbreaking for furniture giant Ikea’s sixth store in the Midwest.
The West Chester Twp. store, first announced in August 2016, will occupy a 56-acre lot on the southeast corner of the intersection of Muhlhauser and Allen roads, near Union Centre.


A tent was erected on the graded lot where local officials and Ikea representatives addressed the crowd.
“It’s about time we finally made it to Ohio,” said Ikea director of public affairs Joseph Roth.
Roth said the company has an estimated 100,000 catalog customers in the greater Cincinnati region. The West Chester Twp. location, to open in Spring 2018, is expected to sell nearly 10,000 items of the store’s signature minimalist home furnishings.
“We’re very proud to welcome [Ikea] to West Chester Twp. and Butler County,” said township administrator Judi Boyko, “and validate our vision of being a greater presence in the Cincinnati area and the greater Midwest.”
Joe Hinson, president and CEO of the West Chester Chamber Alliance, presented Ikea with a certificate of appreciation from the chamber.
“They’re going to set the standard for international business in the area,” Hinson said.
West Chester Twp. will be responsible for improving access to the site from Muhlhauser and Allen roads. The project’s estimated $2 million cost is to be split among Ikea, the township and Butler County. The agreement caps West Chester Twp.’s financial commitment at $600,000.
Chris Petrocy, public information supervisor for BCEO, said most of the improvements will take place this summer. Roth said employee recruitment probably will begin toward the end of 2017.