On Wednesday, June 18, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz joined IKEA management and staff, elected officials and excited shoppers for the grand opening of IKEA in Red Hook—the first store opened in New York City by the Scandinavian company and the fourth in the New York City area. Instead of a ribbon cutting, BP Markowitz and invited guests participated in the Swedish tradition of sawing a log. On the eve of the opening, BP Markowitz greeted early bird customers waiting on line since Monday morning in hopes of winning free sofas and other merchandise from the retailer.

“Clearly, IKEA recognizes that if you want to make a big splash in this city, you gotta go to Brooklyn. IKEA has not just built a store that offers stylish, quality furniture that average Brooklynites and New York City residents can actually afford, it has committed to becoming a valued member of the community—by bringing hundreds of new jobs to Red Hook and making the hiring of local residents a priority.”