TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Tainan City Government said Tuesday that Ikea will open its first Tainan outlet at T.S. Mall after years of city efforts to bring the Swedish furniture brand to the city.
Mayor Huang Wei-che (黃偉哲) said Ikea’s decision showed confidence in Tainan’s growth potential. He said the store would give residents more shopping choices.
Liberty Times reported that Ikea plans to open on the B1 level of T.S. Mall’s second building. The store will cover more than 1,300 square meters and could open before the end of the year.
The city government said Ikea’s arrival is expected to create jobs and support nearby businesses. It said the store would also improve shopping services in East District and help surrounding commercial areas grow.
City Councilor Tsai Hsiao-wei (蔡筱薇) said Ikea would make Tainan more attractive as a place to shop and live. She urged the city government to prepare traffic, parking, and road plans before customer numbers increase, CNA reported.
The city government said the Ikea store is part of a wider push to attract investment and improve public services. It said it is promoting nine major investment and public-private projects this year, worth more than NT$20 billion (US$667 million), covering parking, tourism, film, and water reuse facilities.
