ST. LOUIS -- The finishing touches are being put in place at the St. Louis IKEA store, which opens on September 30th.
Until now, St. Louisans had to make the trek to either Kansas City or Chicago if they wanted to get their hands on furniture and housewares from the Swedish company known for its inexpensive and practical contemporary goods.
Photos: Inside the new St. Louis IKEA
The new store features a supervised children's play area and a 600-seat restaurant serving Swedish cuisine, perhaps most famously, Swedish meatballs.
The grand opening festivities include a bunch of giveaways. The first 41 people in line (this is the 41st store to open in the U.S.) will receive a free sofa, and the next 100 in line will receive a free chair.
The store opens at 9 a.m. Wednesday morning, and customers are invited to start lining up 48 hours prior to the grand opening. Entertainment, including live music, will begin at 6 a.m. Wednesday.
Related photos: IKEA construction site tour
