Ikea won’t be moving forward with its plans to open a location in the Nashville area.
Spokesperson Latisha Bracy confirmed they’re scrapping plans to build a location in Antioch because they’re “looking to expand to more urban city centers to be more accessible to more consumers.”
As a result, the Swedish company’s expansion plans have changed.
“While this is an extremely difficult decision, we will not be moving forward with our plans to build a store in Nashville,” Ikea said in a statement.
In response, Mayor David Briley’s office said in part, “The Century Farms development is important to Antioch and Nashville at large and we will continue to work with the developer to ensure adequate infrastructure is in place for the anticipated development.”
Though IKEA is no longer coming to Nashville, council member Jacobia Dowell says that was only a small portion of the Century Farms development.
"The space is a mixed use space. It did include a few big box stores of course but I'm really happy that they're taking a holistic look at the space they were going to have over there," said Dowell.
The store would have been the first location in Nashville.
Other business owners are interested in investing in Antioch, with or without IKEA.
"Nashville is booming. Even without IKEA I think people will take notice, and they have taken notice of what's going on in Antioch," said Derick Moe Moore, Slim and Huskies Co-Founder.
The owners of Slim and Huskies will be building their second location in Antioch.
The new location is currently under construction, it used to house the Apple Bees that closed down a few years ago.
After business at the Buchanan Street location took off, they're hopeful they will have the same success in Antioch.
The Antioch Slim and Huskies will open on June 18.
