IKEA store coming to Cobb County

The retailer will go into a 28-acre property on Franklin Gateway in Marietta.

MARIETTA — Fans of Swedish meatballs and build-it-yourself furniture, rejoice.

Swedish home furniture retailer Ikea is coming to Marietta’s Franklin Gateway with its famous showroom full of hard-topronounce furniture.

The retailer will go into a 28-acre property on Franklin Gateway purchased by the city in 2015 for $17.7 million and currently under contract for $9.25 million. The property was formerly the site of the Marquis Place apartment complex. The city bought and razed the dilapidated complex using funding from a $68 million redevelopment bond approved by voters in 2013.

The 338,000 square-foot shopping center will be the largest single retailer in Cobb County history, according to City Manager Bill Bruton. Bruton said it will be the second largest single retailer in the state, coming in just behind the only other Ikea in Georgia at Atlantic Station. That location, which opened in 2005, is 366,000 square feet. There are currently 47 locations in the United States.

The Marietta Ikea will contain a showroom for shoppers to peruse, a cafeteria featuring Swedish and American dishes and a spot for children to play while parents browse the selection.

Ikea real estate manager Jim Anastos said there is no firm date for the company to begin construction or to hold its grand opening. The next step is to get the proper permits and finalize the sale, during which time the corporate office will plan a construction schedule.

He said the typical Ikea employs between 250 and 300 people whose salaries are based on local markets. Hiring announcements will come as plans progress.