For many Brummies the trip up the M6 to Wednesbury could be about to be a thing of the past. The Swedish retail furniture giant is opening a new store in Birmingham city centre today. The new Order and Collection Point opens its doors to shoppers at 10am in Dale End. It is the third of its kind to open in the UK and the first to open in a city centre. We went to take a first look inside the store earlier this week. There has been plenty of interest in the new centre and we are at the store this morning to gather reaction to its opening. Follow updates from the scene below. First look inside new store Remember Toys R Us? 10 IKEA hacks you'll love to try 12:33So long and thanks for all the meatballsThat’s all from Dale End.Use the grid above to take a look through the pick of our Ikea coverage.And scroll down to catch up on the latest surprises from the new store.Thank you for joining us.11:59Kids are colouring-in IkeaThis giant colouring-in board was black and white this morning.
It’s fair to say it’s looking more colourful now.11:43"They sell healthy food in the cafe. Before we had McDonald’s"Mum Samirya Shafiq from Edgbaston visited the new store with her daughter Maryam, 5, today.Samirya says:It’s a nice place for kids, especially as they sell healthy food in the cafe. Before we had McDonald’s.Now just a few steps down the road the children can have something healthy here.There’s a little play area for them too. And when the kids are happy, mums are happy too!”11:17In every bottom drawer of every bedroom/bathroomThe obligatory 100 tealights11:13Customer's appear to like central location of new Ikea storeJo says:I’m surprised I didn’t realise it would be so big because there wasn’t much happening here before.It’s so useful for people working in the city centre.” Meanwhile fellow shoppers Sarah Jevon and Shahara Mukid have travelled from Great Barr and West Brom respectively. Sarah says: It’s amazing! I only live around 10 mins from the wednesbury store but I work in the city centre so its great for picking up nicknacks.”“
The cafe is good for breakfast, lunch & coffee too.”The Wheel of Fun game at IKEAThey’ve been giving out prizes at Ikea this morning.You have to answer a question or two to win.Our parenting editor Zoe Chamberlain had a go this morning:“Embarrassingly, I got them all right! But won a Skubb organiser box in the process. Ok so here are some questions from the Wheel of Fun:1. How many meatballs have been sold in the UK since 2012? b) 3b c) 11.62. Where does the store name originate from? A) Swedish word for design b) initials & birthplace of founder c) famous Swedish river. 3. Bestselling product a) Billy bookcase b) Lack side table c) Fillsta lampshadeAnswers 1)c 2)b 3)a10:44'New store in town is pretty convenient'Pamara Gill-Hughes has come from Stourbridge with her kids especially for the opening.She says:I’m really pleased it’s opened in Birmingham city centre.Its ideal for shoppers. I’m always in town of a weekend taking the kids to gymnastics and ballet so its really convenient for us.
The kids Jode, 8, and Jesamine, 10, are having great fun at the opening - they’ve already won tealights on the Wheel of Fun!”10:27KEY EVENTTour every department and meet the staffParenting correspondent Zoe Chamberlain has been taking a tour of the new store.Watch the video below to check out every department and meet the staff.This video was originally broadcast live on Facebook.10:03More photos from inside the new store09:58KEY EVENTIKEA product names quiz: Know your Malou from your Gosig09:47How new Pick N' Mix IKEA meatballs worksYou get a small or regular pot £1.80 for 5 /£3.20 for 10 and fill it with a mix of traditional, chicken or veggie meatballsThen choose from 3 sauces to put on the top.You will be able to get a family card meal deal for £2.80 for small / £4 for regular including a drink and frozen yoghurt.09:45KEY EVENTNEW: Pick N' Mix meatballs coming to BrumWait a second it seems like I got mixed up over that pick n’ mix sign.It is not sweets at all - but meatballs.
It is a new concept for the Swedish retailers most well-known snack.Pick n mix meatballs coming soon. Birmingham, we’re told, is the first to try it out.09:40inside an Ikea fridgeSome of these will look familiar to a lot of people:And there’s frozen yoghurt too.09:33Matt CannonFood prices at Ikea cafe in Dale EndMeal deals available from 11.30amSmall cups (5 items), cold drink, frozen yoghurt: £3.65 (family price £2.80)Regular cups (10 items), cold drink, frozen yoghurt: £5.05 (family price £4) Cakes and pastries: From 50pFrozen yoghurt: 50p09:27KEY EVENTHow much coffee and other drinks costHere’s a first look at the prices at the Ikea cafe in Birmingham city centre:English breakfast tea: £1 (family price 50p)White coffee: £1 (family price 50p)Americano: £1 (family price 50p)Espresso: £1 (family price 50p)Fruit/herbal tea: £1 (family price 50p)Cappuccino: £1.95 (family price £1.45)Cafe Latte: £1.95 (family price £1.45)Hot chocolate: £1.95 (family price £1.45)Cold drinks: From 50p09:12Matt CannonWhat do customers make of it?
Browser Ian Grimes from Marston Green says:I’m a teacher on summer holidays so this is a perfect chance for me to do some DIY.“It’s a very different concept here, I like it because it’s so fresh and new and airy.“IKEA offers some really unusual ideas for solving problems, like storage in a functional way that looks really good.”09:07Matt CannonPick n' Mix coming to city centre storeOh boy.It has been a long time since you could call in at Woolworths up the Ramp for a few sweets.Well, now it looks as though pick n’ mix is coming back.Zoe spotted this sign up at the store.No complaints here.09:02Matt CannonCustomers coming into storeCustomers are starting to come into the store before heading off to work.There are help centres and large screens in the store to help customers find the items they want.Zoe’s a big fan of these it seems.A wireless charging lamp.08:56Matt CannonStaff welcome, tree planting and more ABBARight, let’s go have a look at what’s about in store...
08:51Matt CannonStaff at the new Ikea get into the party08:46KEY EVENTBrass band plays ABBA tunes08:37Check out the Ikea 'birthday' cakeNot your traditional birthday cake this.The massive slab features the original drawing for the design of the store.It is not clear whether it’s being dished out but we hope so.The perfect pudding after your Swedish Ikea meatballs perhaps? PS. We are aware a store cannot be born. 08:31Matt CannonUK spends a lot of dosh at IkeaThere are few countries in the world who spend more dosh at Ikea than the UK.In terms of proportion of sales only Germany (16%), USA 11% and France (10%) spend more than the UK which makes up 7% of the brands sales revenue. According to the IKEA website the company was:Established in 1943 in the small village of Agunnaryd in Sweden, when founder Ingvar Kamprad was just 17.“Since then, the IKEA Group has grown into a major retail experience with 123,000 co-workers in 25 countries/territories generating annual sales of more than 21.5 billion euros.