The first store of the Swedish furniture giant IKEA will be located in the southern part of the Ring Road, near Simeonovsko Shose in Malinova Dolina. As confirmed by two independent sources, the opening date is planned for the end of 2009 or the beginning of 2010. Fourlis, the official construction company of the store, confirmed the selection of the plot and signing of the preliminary contracts, but the exact location was not specified.
Initially, the investments in Danaos project will amount to 266.4 billion leva for 3 years. The three-floor commercial center, with built-up area of 150,000 sq.m., should consist of stores, numerous shops, cinemas, restaurants and offices. 100,000 sq.m. built-up area of stores and 50,000 sq.m. of offices. There will be a big open parking with 2500 parking spaces.
Fourlis plan to launch a second store in Bulgaria, situated between Varna and Bourgas in 2011-2012. Specialists from Fourlis have also explained that IKEA prices in Bulgaria will be lower compared to those in Greece, mainly as a result of the lower GDP per capita in Bulgaria.
Fourlis Group, the proprietor of Intersport stores in Greece, Cyprus, Romania, and Bulgaria registered revenues for more than 670 million EUR for 2006/2007. Fourlis Group is alsothe owner of the IKEA store- Thessalonica, where a great number of Bulgarians go shopping.
