IKEA is opening its first Crocker Park location in spring 2027, bringing the Swedish furniture retailer to Greater Cleveland for the first time with a small-format store at the Westlake lifestyle center.
The store will occupy the 50,000-square-foot space of the former Dick’s Sporting Goods at 300 Crocker Park Boulevard, according to Stark Enterprises, the property’s owner. Stark Enterprises CEO Ezra Stark said in a statement that the announcement “reflects years of strategic planning, strong partnerships, and our commitment to continually elevating Crocker Park with brands people truly want to experience.”
For decades, Northeast Ohio residents have had to drive at least two hours to reach an IKEA store. The nearest locations are in Columbus, 115 miles away, and Pittsburgh, 107 miles away. Greater Cleveland is the most populous metropolitan area in the United States without a physical IKEA store, according to NEOtrans, a Cleveland real estate publication that first reported the deal.
The Crocker Park location will be a small-format store, part of IKEA’s broader strategy to expand into suburban and urban centers beyond its traditional large warehouse locations. In March 2026, IKEA announced plans to open 20 small-format stores ranging from 35,000 to 75,000 square feet across Europe and North America, according to Ingka Group, the largest IKEA franchisee.
A comparable precedent is IKEA’s Buffalo location, which will open in early 2027 at Walden Galleria Mall. That store spans approximately 65,000 square feet and will offer more than 5,200 products on display, according to an official IKEA announcement. The Buffalo store will feature a Swedish Deli with meatballs, plant balls, and other IKEA food favorites, as well as a planning area for design consultations.
Lidia Saluan Richani, Executive Vice President of Leasing for Stark Enterprises, said IKEA was the company’s “number one choice” for the vacant Dick’s space. “This is about more than activating a premier retail space—it’s about creating a destination that will attract visitors from across the region, enhance our retail mix, and reinforce Crocker Park’s position as one of the nation’s leading mixed-use lifestyle centers,” Richani said.
Crocker Park, which opened in 2004, is a mixed-use development in Westlake that combines retail, dining, entertainment, residential, and office space. In recent years, the center has welcomed Abercrombie & Fitch, Hollister, and an expanded Arhaus showroom, while Apple relocated to a larger space.
Sources
- News 5 Cleveland — Official announcement that IKEA is opening at Crocker Park in spring 2027 with quotes from Stark Enterprises CEO and executives
- NEOtrans — Reporting on the IKEA small-format store strategy, the 50,000-square-foot Dick’s Sporting Goods space, and Greater Cleveland’s status as the largest metro without an IKEA
- IKEA — Official newsroom announcement of Buffalo store opening in early 2027 with store format details and product offerings
- Ingka Group — Announcement of 20 small-format stores across Europe and North America in March 2026
