Ikea Plans New Store in Lee County as Population Boom Draws Big Retailers

A new Ikea store will soon call Lee County, Florida, home. The Swedish company plans to test a smaller format store, breaking from their usual massive warehouse design.

The county's swift growth tells the story. Within just five years, the population has grown by 12.5%. Now, as one of America's fastest-growing midsize areas, it's about to hit the one-million mark.

"The update we just got from the Census Bureau is indicating that we grew faster than had been projected," said Gary Tasman, commercial realtor and Horizon Council business leader, to Gulf Coast News Now.

Small business owners see opportunity, not competition. Local shop owner Abbey DiStefano puts it plainly: "The more shopping you can get in the area, the better. Like, I love to have another shop in this place, it just brings people in."

Major companies have taken notice. While Amazon builds a state-of-the-art robotic center on State Road 82, medical manufacturer Arthrex constructs a plant on Daniels Parkway spanning the size of 20 football fields.

The county stays ahead of the curve. Commissioner Brian Hamman states: "We plan out roads for five years, we are building as many as we have money to build, we build out water plants, sewer plants, the EMS stations."

This Swedish retailer's arrival might spark interest from upscale stores. Tasman thinks high-end names like Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale's, and Restoration Hardware could follow suit.