WARSAW, Poland (AP) — An airport worker drops by Warsaw's newest Ikea store during her lunch break to finish up plans for a home refurbishment. Around her, people drift in and out of the shop, placing houseware items in big yellow bags as cafe tables fill up with people stopping in for lunch.
The store is not one of Ikea's out-of-the-way, maze-like warehouses that require a car to visit, but a shop like any other in a city center. The retailer plans to open 30 such smaller stores in major cities as part of a transformation to adapt to changing consumer habits.
Compared with a decade ago, shoppers are more likely to be living in cities and not have a car, and often want a nearby location to look at goods before ordering online.
