Triangle residents will still be short of options for good Swedish meatballs and low-cost furniture. Ikea will not open a new store in Cary despite months of hype and hope. The company is reconsidering its globally recognizable big blue boxes in favor of smaller stores and digital alternatives. Besides developing augmented reality apps to see furniture in your room, and virtual reality apps to test drive an Ikea kitchen, the company purchased TaskRabbit and offers “taskers” to build your furniture for you.
Ikea’s decision is not a reflection on Cary, the Triangle, or North Carolina, but it provides another signal for local governments about the dangers of relying on retailers.
